A cast iron bathtub, according to professionals who do professional renovation work, is the most durable accessory. However, there comes a time when it needs to be replaced. Many owners of old bathtubs try to delay this moment as long as possible by covering the product with new layers of enamel. Some take a radical approach to solving this issue. This category prefers to completely remove old bath from the house, and not in its place to install a new one. It can be dismantled with or without preservation. Having tried to remove this accessory intact, beginners encounter difficulties and wonder whether it is possible to break a cast-iron bathtub. Or will I have to take it out whole? In this case, you will have to hire a team or call someone for help.
How to break a cast iron bathtub in the bathroom? This question becomes very relevant for those who have decided not to use the old accessory anywhere else. Coping with this task will not be difficult. You will find information on how to quickly break a cast iron bathtub in this article.
About dismantling methods
There are two ways to replace an old bathtub:
- With saving. The bathtub is carefully disconnected from the rest of the communications in the house and taken out. It can be used in the future. Judging by the reviews, this method is complex and time-consuming.
- No saving. In this case, you can either break the cast iron bathtub or saw it using an angle grinder. The bath pieces are then taken out. Due to the fact that the product now weighs much less, one person can handle this work. As they say experienced craftsmen, if it is necessary to dismantle the bathtub, they preferentially resort to this method. The disadvantage of this method is that the procedure is accompanied by a very large roar.
What is special about this method?
Based on reviews, we can conclude that the procedure for breaking a bathtub using a sledgehammer is the most proven dismantling method in practice. However, it requires considerable physical effort. Destroying a bathtub into several parts is not possible for everyone. The work must be performed by a physically trained person. In addition, the procedure itself should be performed during the day. Otherwise, a scandal with neighbors is inevitable.
Preparation
Before you begin dismantling, you need to prepare the room in which the work will be carried out. It is advisable that there is nothing superfluous in the bathroom, namely various cabinets and bedside tables. In order not to damage the toilet, if the bathroom is combined, it is better to remove it from the room. The floor should be covered with a rubber mat. Otherwise, a cast iron product laid on a tiled surface will slip.
Tools
Since the bathtub will first need to be disconnected from the pipes, the master will need to acquire the following:
- Adjustable and regular wrenches.
- Screwdrivers.
- With pliers.
- A hacksaw and a grinder.
- With a crowbar.
- With a sledgehammer.
Due to the fact that rough physical work will be carried out, the master should worry about protective equipment. It is necessary to prepare special gloves and safety glasses.
Where should I start?
Before breaking a cast iron bathtub, it must first be disconnected from all communications. The first step is to disconnect the overflow. According to experts, cast iron pipes were installed in many old houses. Therefore, after many years, they become very rusty, covered with scale, and the master may have difficulties dismantling cast-iron plumbing fixtures. The situation is better if communications are represented by metal-plastic components. In this case, they simply unscrew. The master only needs to prepare the pliers. There are often cases when the overflow grate gets very stuck.
Before breaking a cast iron bathtub, you need to dismantle this element. Many craftsmen clamp it with pliers and turn it counterclockwise. If it is not possible to dismantle the overflow in this way, it is cut off with a grinder. Judging by the reviews, fasteners often have heavily rusted threads, which can only be dealt with after cutting them. First, several cuts are made on the grate, and then the overflow is knocked off with a chisel. Then the crosspiece under the grille is knocked out. As a result, the siphon should hang freely, connected to the rest of the sewer line. To remove it, the master needs to get rid of the coupling. Some beginners wonder if it is possible to break a cast iron bathtub with a sledgehammer. According to experts, this is quite possible to do. You just need to adhere to a clear sequence of actions.
About the weak point of the bath
For those who have never done anything like this before and don’t know how to break a cast-iron bathtub with a sledgehammer, experts recommend finding the most vulnerable spot in a given plumbing product. Judging by numerous reviews, it is located in the bottom, namely near the drain hole. This is where you should hit it with a sledgehammer.
Work progress
Once the most vulnerable point in the product has been found, the following steps must be performed:
- The first step is to move the bathtub a little away from the wall. To perform this task you will need a chisel and a hammer, with the help of which the plumbing product is removed from cement mortar along the perimeter. The optimal distance of the bathtub to the wall will be from 100 to 150 mm.
- Using an angle grinder equipped with cutting wheels, make several cuts on the bathtub. The master's task is to deprive the product of its strength. The cutting areas on the bathtub should be its curved edges on both sides. They are used as stiffeners. If the work is done correctly, then strong blows to the bottom of the cast iron product will cause it to collapse.
- Break out the drain hole. There is no need to turn the bath over at this stage. The master only applies very strong blows with a sledgehammer to the drain from the inside of the bathtub. Judging by the reviews, after these steps the bath is divided into two separate halves. If this does not happen, then you will have to deal with its sides.
- Turn the bathtub on its side and cover it with old rags. Burlap also works well. The blows are applied to the outer part of the cast iron product. As a result, the previously broken drain hole in the bathroom should become even wider. After several blows in the bathtub, a long strip forms along its entire bottom.
Completion
At the very end, the cast iron bathtub must be completely turned over. The bottom of the sanitary ware should be directed upward. At this stage, the sides are processed with a sledgehammer. As a result, the bath is broken into several pieces, which can then be conveniently removed. In addition, the bath can be divided into smaller pieces. To do this you will have to work with an angle grinder. The gas cutting method is considered quite effective.
For those who do not know how to break a cast iron bathtub, professionals recommend following safety precautions. Mostly this work is performed by two people. Since the procedure involves a grinder and a sledgehammer, you can protect yourself from injuries if all actions are coordinated.
Due to the fact that particles of broken cast iron can get into the face from strong blows of a sledgehammer, the plumbing product should first be covered with burlap. This will also protect the bathroom itself. The speed of dismantling and safety directly depend on the proper organization of work.
A cast iron bathtub, along with its strength and reliability, has one significant drawback - its heavy weight. And when it comes to dismantling a cast iron bathtub, the owners have to face a number of difficulties - getting the product out of the apartment onto the street is not so easy, and in some cases, due to tight passages, it is completely impossible to do this. There is only one way out - break the bathtub.
Ways to break a cast iron bathtub
In order to break a cast iron bathtub you will need:
- sledgehammer,
- Bulgarian,
- gloves,
- reinforced bags for construction waste,
- sound-isolating headphones (optional),
- old blanket or other soft material (optional).
It is customary to break a cast iron bathtub with a sledgehammer. Of course, a man should be entrusted with the matter. Even a person with an average level of physical fitness can do this task. Keep in mind that you will not be able to break the bath quietly, so this work must be carried out during the daytime. If possible, warn your neighbors so as not to scare or cause discomfort to anyone. Now you can get down to business with a clear conscience.
Before starting work, prepare a tool (sledgehammer), free up space around the bathtub to make it easier to collect the fragments in the future. If you're afraid of hurting flooring, lay an old blanket or soft cloth over the work area. To avoid accidentally cutting your hands, be sure to wear gloves. As we already said, breaking cast iron bath accompanied by a lot of noise, reminiscent of bells, so it is advisable to have sound-isolating headphones.
To make a cast iron bathtub easier to crack under the influence of a sledgehammer, cut its sides in several places with a grinder. If desired, you can divide the bath into several parts only with the help of a grinder. But this procedure is labor-intensive, time-consuming and is accompanied by a large amount of debris, or rather construction dust. Therefore, it is easier and more convenient to break a cast-iron bathtub using a sledgehammer.
5-6 persistent blows should be enough for the bath to break into at least two parts. If necessary, break large pieces again, then removing parts of the bathtub from the apartment will be easier and more convenient.
Carefully collect small fragments along with the remains of tiles or other finishing elements, if any, and pack them in special reinforced bags designed for construction waste. This way you can get rid of your old cast iron bathtub without any problems.
When renovating a bathroom in an apartment or when replacing old, worn-out plumbing equipment, it is often necessary to disassemble and dismantle the bathtub yourself - video of this noisy and dusty stage repair work, as well as detailed instructions for all steps will help you prepare in advance for possible difficulties and avoid problems. Let's consider two options - preserving the bowl and its complete elimination.
The most difficult of all possible options– dismantling plumbing fixtures made of cast iron. The task becomes more complicated if the plans include removing the entire bathtub in order to use it later, for example, at the dacha. One person clearly cannot do this - a cast iron product can weigh up to 100 kg, so at least two people will have to work.
There is no trace left of the bath
Removing problematic old trim
After removing all objects that interfere with the work from the room, the bathtub must be disconnected from all fittings, including the drain. Cast iron plumbing has been installed in many homes since ancient times, when drain lines were made of cast iron pipes. It is usually not possible to simply disassemble them after many years, so dismantling a cast-iron bathtub with removal will have to be done in other ways.
First you need to disconnect the overflow. If it is made of plastic parts, problems usually do not arise. But with old plumbing, you often have to deal with metal components, which are not easy to dismantle. Sometimes you can unscrew this element using pliers, simply by hooking them on the grille and turning it counterclockwise. If the overflow grate is very stuck, you will have to use an angle grinder:
- Make a deep cut on the overflow with a sander.
- Using saw cuts, knock down the overflow grate in parts with a chisel.
Cutting the grille and dismantling the overflow
There are usually far fewer problems with plastic elements. You only need to unscrew the fastening element on the grille (bolt or nut), after which the overflow can be freely and effortlessly detached from the bathtub. The situation with the drain is similar - the siphon is easily disconnected after unscrewing the nut on the metal protective grille.
How to disconnect a cast iron siphon from a bathtub
To dismantle the bathtub, you need to disconnect the drain from it. If the drain is made of cast iron, then difficulties may arise at this stage. There are several ways to disconnect a cast iron siphon from a plumbing fixture. The first is similar to that described above - an incision is also made on top of the plum with a grinder, but this time crosswise. The main thing here is to cut through only the drain grate without damaging the bathtub itself.
Cuts in the drain protection grid
If you accidentally cut through the cast iron of a bathtub with a grinder, then you can no longer install a new trim on it in the future. Of course, if the surface layer of enamel is only slightly touched, nothing terrible will happen, but if a deep cut is made through negligence, the plumbing with the new piping will definitely leak. Next, you need to proceed in the same way as in the case of overflow:
- Place a chisel on one of the resulting cuts at an angle of approximately 45 degrees so that blows on the tool rotate the drain grate counterclockwise.
- Try to unscrew the drain in this way. If this is not possible, deepen the cuts if possible and simply knock down the ribs of the grate. To do this, the chisel must be placed so that the blows are no longer directed counterclockwise, but inward - towards the center of the drain.
You can also use a chisel to knock out the crosspiece at the bottom of the grille. This will make it easier to get rid of the remaining parts after cutting. Upon completion of the dismantling of this element, the siphon will hang freely in the opposite area, being connected to the sewer lines. To remove it, you only need to break the coupling in this place.
An effective way to dismantle old trim
Dismantling the harness before removal
Another way to remove the siphon to dismantle the bathtub involves using a hammer drill. Required element It is attached under the bathtub with a large cast iron nut, which is simply not possible to unscrew in the usual way after many years of use. But if you use a hammer drill, the task becomes simpler:
- The tool must be switched to impact mode and a flat chisel attachment must be secured in the chuck.
- Loosen the large nut connecting the siphon to the drain, acting on the edges of the nut with a hammer drill in impact mode, so that it gradually unscrews, that is, counterclockwise. After which you can dismantle the siphon by hand.
There is nothing complicated about this method; in addition, there is no need to use a grinder, which can easily damage the enamel or even accidentally make a deep cut, rendering the bowl unusable.
After disconnecting the siphon from the bathtub, cut or break the unnecessary section of the drain pipe using one of the methods described above.
Video: Dismantling the bathroom without damaging the plumbing
Dismantling old cast iron pipes remaining on the sewer bed
After breaking the drain, you can remove the cast iron trim under the bathtub. To ensure that dismantling the bathtub is not difficult, the siphon from sewer system It is recommended to saw off with the same grinder. True, you will have to work in a respirator, since cast iron produces very harmful fine dust when working with a grinder, which you cannot breathe without protective equipment.
Dismantling an old cast iron deck chair
As an alternative, the pipe can simply be knocked down, since all elements are easily chipped. To do this, you can use a regular hammer, which you need to hit on the protruding parts - tee, connecting elements and other parts. After this, the pipes usually become loose and can be easily removed without any plumbing tools.
Fast and safe removal of plumbing fixtures
After removing the old piping using the methods described above, you can begin work on dismantling the cast iron bathtub. To remove it, you need to get rid of all the interfering objects if possible - the toilet, if the bathroom is combined, washing machines, all kinds of shelves, bedside tables. The sequence of work is as follows:
- Remove caulking from the end and side walls adjacent to the bathtub.
- Turn the plumbing fixture on its side. It is not difficult to separate it from the wall, just lift and lower it several times.
- Detach the legs. In older models, simply use a hammer to knock out the wedges from the fastenings.
After freeing the legs and communications, the bathtub is simply taken out of the room. If possible, remove the door from its hinges - this way it will not interfere with dismantling, and it will be impossible to accidentally scratch it. Also, don't forget to plug the drain pipe with some rag material. Otherwise, the room will quickly fill with unpleasant odors.
Breaking down a cast iron bathtub for removal in parts
If you need to dismantle an old bathtub and install a new one, then the easiest and fastest way to get rid of outdated plumbing fixtures is to simply break them apart with a sledgehammer. Cast iron is a strong metal, but it cannot withstand a series of strong blows from a heavy hammer and will definitely crack. After this, it will not be difficult for even one person to remove small pieces from the apartment.
The only significant drawback of this method is the extreme noise produced during the breaking process. To reduce the need for knocking, you can use a grinder. The procedure will be as follows:
- As in the previous case, disconnect the plumbing from the communications, cut or otherwise dismantle the drain pipe.
- Free the bathtub from cement mortar around the perimeter. If there is a decorative screen, then it is broken with a chisel and hammer.
- Move the bowl a little away from the edge of the wall. Using a grinder, make cuts on the curved edges in the middle on both sides. It is these edges that give the bowl the necessary rigidity, so you need to saw them completely.
Next, all that remains is to hit the bottom with a sledgehammer a couple of times, after which the bathtub will “fold” exactly in the middle. The only thing that should not be forgotten throughout the entire demolition of sanitary equipment is eye protection. Use special masks or goggles, otherwise chipped pieces of enamel or shavings can cause injury.
Video: How to break a cast iron bathtub
The work of dismantling communications, demolishing and removing an old bathtub is not extremely difficult, although its labor intensity for one person is quite significant. The biggest difficulty is caused by dismantling a cast iron drain, the stuck nut of which is almost impossible to unscrew without the help of, for example, a hammer drill. Breaking will also require significant physical effort, so it is better to do the work with an assistant or immediately seek help from a specialist.
Video: Complete elimination of plumbing systems using an angle grinder
As a rule, renovation work in the bathroom is inextricably linked with updating the plumbing equipment, in particular, replacing the bathtub with a newer model or shower box. One way or another, the old plumbing equipment will require dismantling. Usually this process does not cause any particular problems, but if the room has a cast iron bathtub, you will face some difficulties.
As a rule, Replacing a bathroom with the installation of new equipment can be associated with all sorts of problems. The sequence of actions in the event that you need to leave the old container intact will be such that you will have to remove the plumbing fixture from its installation site and, with difficulty, transport the container from the apartment to the street. This is a rather labor-intensive process. Here it would be useful to involve several assistants.
Only two people can remove a cast iron bathtub from the room.
When carrying out such work, it is necessary to adhere to a certain algorithm. The dismantling sequence has some features that make the technical process as easy as possible. You can optimize the dismantling of a cast iron bathtub as follows.
First of all, you should carefully check the quality of the brackets that fix the bathtub in its original position. If one of the supports is knocked out during dismantling, there may be a risk of injury. Therefore, you should protect yourself in advance.
If you wedged the legs of the tank when installing the structure, make sure that all the elements are in place and securely hold the tank. Loose wedges can simply be knocked out with a hammer.
Previously, the bathtub was connected to the waste system through a cast iron siphon. Due to the action of a factor such as corrosion, the joints of the parts of the drainage system are compacted to such an extent that it becomes impossible to disassemble the piping while maintaining the integrity of the elements. In this case, you should separate the part by cutting it using an electric cutting machine. At the same time, do not forget to follow safety precautions and use safety glasses. To cut the flange connecting the drain trim, you will need to lie down.
Sometimes you can disconnect a bathtub from cast iron communications only by cutting the pipe with a grinder
Another common problem is that today, in most cases, bathroom walls are tiled tiles. This will create certain inconveniences when you plan to dismantle the old bathtub. The tiles should be removed along with a layer of hardened adhesive building mixture around the perimeter of the product. This is necessary so that the old container can be pulled out. At the current stage, dismantling the bathroom can be considered completed.
A method for replacing a cast iron product in which the container remains intact
When starting work on removing the tank, first of all, the plumbing fixture should be pulled forward. The most convenient way to do this is with a lever, which is advisable to use a crowbar or pry bar. Provided that two people are involved in the work, it would be best to move the bathtub away from the wall by about half a meter, that is, so far that one of them could easily fit there.
You need to take the bathtub out of the room on its side
Then you should lay the container on its side. To do this, it is necessary for one of the workers to be between the wall and the side of the product. Now the product needs to be taken out of the bathroom. Here it is appropriate to use the bathtub supports as handrails. By holding them, you can conveniently transport the cast iron container.
At the current stage, you should adhere to some rules. If you neglect these recommendations, you will not be able to remove the plumbing fixture. You need to move the product into the doorway on the edge and, taking into account the rotation, first remove the front legs. Next, gradually turning the container, take it outside the bathroom so that you can install the second pair of brackets.
Now all that remains is to remove the product from the home. Since the size of the front door leaf is usually at least 800 mm, this will not pose any particular difficulties. It's up to you to decide what to do with the old tank. Perhaps you will decide to take him to country house, where the capacity can be used by at least a dozen different ways allowing an old plumbing fixture to perform a useful function. In particular, an old cast-iron bathtub can serve as the basis for a decorative pond.
Removing a cast iron bathtub using a hammer
If you decide to hand over your cast iron bathtub for scrap, we can recommend using this in a simple way removing an old product from a bathroom is like destroying the body of a bathtub with a sledgehammer. This is the easiest and most rational option for dismantling. In order to reduce the likelihood of injury, it is necessary to adhere to a certain sequence of actions. Work should be carried out in this order.
First you need to cut the sides of the bathtub in half with a grinder
First of all, it is necessary to cut off the connection of the bathtub to the sewer with a grinder and free the sides of the plumbing fixture from the layer of tile mortar and the remains of cladding along the entire perimeter. The tank should be moved from the wall approximately 10–15 cm.
To easily split the bathtub body into two parts with a sledgehammer, you should use a cutting machine to make cuts on certain areas of the surface. The cuts must be made on the rounded part of the container strictly in the middle of the product on both sides.
The sides of the bathtub must be completely cut through, since in this case they act as a load-bearing element in the structure. Now one good blow with a hammer on the bottom of the tank will be enough to divide it into two equal parts. In this case, the bathtub will fold downwards.
A heavy hammer can be used to break bath debris into small pieces so you can carry it out in bags alone
Fulfilling these conditions will be enough to facilitate the dismantling of the bathtub. Two workers can remove parts of the old product from the premises, although this can be done alone. To do this, it is advisable to split the parts into small fragments, collect them in strong bags and take the bath to a scrap metal collection site or a landfill. In order to break apart parts of the bathtub body, you do not need to make cuts with a sander. Cast iron is a fairly brittle material, and the remaining parts of the structure can be easily broken into small pieces with a sledgehammer.
Safety precautions when dismantling the bathtub
During work, hazardous situations may arise. This may be caused by inconsistency in the actions of two people, or failure to follow the rules for working with a cutting machine or hammer. Most often, injuries occur in several typical cases. Let's take a closer look at them.
If the sides of the bathtub are tiled, remove the container from the mounts and lower it to the floor
The risk of injury may arise due to uncoordinated actions of workers. It is very important to precisely coordinate each action. If one of the assistants accidentally releases the bathtub, the second person will not be able to hold the product on his own and will be crushed by the cast-iron container. Most often, the hands suffer during the dismantling process. The limb can be pressed against the wall or pulled between the body of the product and the frame of the doorway. Particular vigilance should be exercised in this area, as this is one of the common causes of injury.
Care must be taken when lifting the edge of the tank. The bathtub may slip on the slippery surface of the tiles, and one person will not be able to hold it. In order to avoid this, it is necessary to lay an anti-slip gasket under the side of the sanitary container. This could be a rubber mat.
In the case where the edges of the product are firmly embedded in the wall, the dismantling procedure is somewhat more complicated, and additional sources of injury may arise. It is quite problematic to remove a layer of old tiles and cement mortar from the sides of a plumbing fixture so that the product can be pulled out freely. In this case, you can make the task easier by knocking out the supports of the structure one by one. After this, you need to apply force so that the container falls to the floor. Before disconnecting the structural supports, it is necessary to place a layer of shock-absorbing material under the bathtub on the floor to compensate for the impact force when the tank falls.
When working with tools such as electric angle grinders and hammers, it is inevitable that a lot of small pieces of scale, metal shavings or splinters will fly off, which can cause serious injury if they come into contact with the skin or eyes.
Particular care should be taken when breaking the body of a sanitary ware into small fragments. In this case, the enamel coating of the bathtub breaks off in large pieces, which, when flying off, can cause serious injuries. During work, not only the visual organs, but also all parts of the body should be protected from damage. To do this, you can wear work pants made of thick material and a jacket or thick long-sleeved shirt. Of course, in such clothes you can become covered in profuse sweat, but in any case this is preferable to injury.
Do not neglect eye and hand protection, as this will help avoid accidental injuries.
Increased injuries during dismantling activities can be avoided by following the necessary safety requirements.
Getting rid of the bath
To free the room from parts of the plumbing structure, you will need the help of several strong men. In addition, this requires transport. The services of movers and cargo taxis can be quite expensive. Today there are companies that remove bathtubs. You don’t need to do anything yourself, just call a team, and specialists will quickly and efficiently dismantle it. You don’t have to pay for this - the company covers its costs and makes a profit through the sale of scrap metal. Also, the old bathtub can serve for a long time if the damaged layer of enamel coating is restored.
To get rid of your old bathtub, you can contact a company that disposes of such plumbing fixtures.
In most cases, bathroom renovation is integrally associated with replacing an old bathtub with a new one or a new one altogether - in both cases, you will have to undergo such an operation as dismantling. In principle, it is not difficult to perform, but if you have to deal with it, then you won’t have to worry about it - you will have to work hard. In this article from the site, we will talk about how to dismantle a cast iron bathtub correctly and with the least amount of labor. Moreover, we will offer you two ways to solve this problem.
Dismantling a cast iron bathtub photo
Dismantling a cast iron bathtub: a method to keep the bathtub intact
In fact, such dismantling of the bathtub will require you to rip it from its place, install it in a certain position and simply pull it out of the apartment, spending a huge amount of effort. You can’t cope here alone - at a minimum you will need two pairs of strong male hands. You can make your work easier only by avoiding intermediate, fruitless actions, which usually happen in cases where people don’t know what they’re doing. The “maybe it will pass” principle only leads to unnecessary labor costs and loss of strength - you can avoid this if you adhere to a certain sequence. The question of how to dismantle a cast iron bathtub is solved this way.
- First, you should make sure that the legs are securely attached to the bathtub itself - if one of them falls off during the work, then, to put it mildly, troubles may occur in the form of broken toes or hands, and possibly even more serious injuries. In most cases, the legs are secured with wedges - they should all be in place and tightly driven (adjust them if necessary).
- As a rule, almost all cast iron bathtubs were connected to a sewer system that was the same cast iron as the bathtub itself - from many years During operation, these cast iron siphons become so rusty to the bathtub that it is impossible to unscrew them in the normal way. Therefore, we simply take an angle grinder, put on safety glasses, lie down on the floor next to the bathtub and cut off the siphon with an angle grinder.
Removing a bathtub using an angle grinder photo
- In most cases, an old cast-iron bathtub is lined around the perimeter, which also creates some problems when dismantling it - it makes it immovable. This tile, mortar (or whatever it is coated with around the edges) should be removed along the entire perimeter - only after this the bathtub will gain mobility, and it will be possible to continue dismantling the old bathtub. Then, as they say, it’s a matter of technique.
- Now the bathtub should be moved away from the wall. All methods are good here, but the most effective is a crowbar or pry bar. If you are working together, then you can try to simply pull it away from the wall so much that a person can freely walk there - 400-500mm will be enough.
- Now we place the bath standing, for this one will have to climb behind the bath. We take the bathtub by one of the sides and simply lift it to a standing position - while working, you can grab the legs. They will play their role and, serving as excellent handrails, will help you transport the bathtub through the doorway, which is the next step in solving the question of how to remove a cast-iron bathtub?
- The technique for transporting the bathtub is very important here - if you do not follow it, you will not be able to remove the bathtub. You need to bring it into the opening while standing, in an unfolded position at 45˚ - as soon as the legs pass through the doorway, simultaneously with the removal of the bathtub, it will need to be slowly rotated around the door jamb. In this way you will ensure free passage for the other two legs.
- That's it, the main work is done - front door into the apartment it is 900mm wide and does not present any obstacles to removing the bathtub. The bathtub can be taken outside, loaded into a car and transported to the dacha, where you will find at least a dozen ways to use it, allowing you to extend its life in a different form. For example, you can make an artificial pond out of it.
How to clean a bathtub photo
As you can see, the question of how to dismantle a bathtub made of cast iron is easily resolved, but even if you know the technique for performing this work, you still have to work hard.
How to break an old cast iron bathtub: dismantling with a sledgehammer
This is the easiest way to solve the problem of how to clean a bathtub - and with this approach to the matter you will have to strain much less. Basically, you just have to break an old cast iron bathtub with a sledgehammer - as they say, break - not build or even disassemble. But, despite this, such dismantling of the bathtub should also be carried out, as they say, with feeling and arrangement, so that God forbid you do not injure yourself. If we imagine this method of removing an old cast-iron bathtub point by point, then the order of work will look like this.
- As in the first case, to begin such dismantling, the old bathtub must be cut off from the grinder and freed from cement mortar along the entire perimeter. The bathtub will also need to be moved a little away from the wall - 10-15 centimeters will be enough.
- Two cuts with a grinder and a couple of hits with a sledgehammer will allow you to divide the bath into two equal halves. For this to happen, you need to know where and how to make cuts. There is nothing secret here - the cuts are made on the curved edges of the bathtub exactly in the middle on both sides. The wings of the bathtub need to be cut completely - they give the bathtub additional strength. After that, we simply hit the bottom of the bathtub with a sledgehammer, and it seems to fold down.
How to break a cast iron bath photo
In principle, in almost all cases this is enough to easily take an old cast-iron bathtub outside with the efforts of two strong men. But if you decide on your own how to break a cast-iron bathtub, then to make the task easier, it is generally better to chop it into pieces, put it in bags and take it to a landfill or scrap metal collection point. For further work, the grinder will no longer be needed - the sledgehammer does an excellent job of crushing brittle cast iron into small pieces.
Watch the video to see how to dismantle an old cast-iron bathtub using an angle grinder.
How to dismantle an old bathtub: work safety is paramount
So, we’ve sorted out the question of how to cut a cast-iron bathtub; now all that remains is to cover the topic of work safety. You can’t do without this - disorganized work of two people and even simply incorrect use of an angle grinder or sledgehammer can lead to serious injuries. So what do you need to watch out for when dismantling a cast iron bathtub?
- Uncoordinated work of two people. Every step or movement must be strictly verified and coordinated. Imagine what would happen if someone relaxed at the wrong time and the bathtub crushed another person? Quite often, during the process of dismantling cast iron bathtubs, hands are injured. They are either pressed against the wall or dragged between the bathroom and door frame– the last place is the most traumatic, so you need to be extremely careful here.
- Grinders and sledgehammers, which, as a rule, emit a lot of small particles during operation that can damage human eyes and skin. This is especially true when working with a bathtub - its enamel chips into large pieces that can cause serious injuries. When performing such work, you need to take care not only to protect your eyes, but also your entire body, for example, wear thick pants and a long-sleeved shirt. It may be a little hot, but your body will not suffer!
How to dismantle a cast iron bathtub with your own hands photo
This is how things stand with the answer to the question of how to dismantle a cast iron bathtub. It should be understood that despite the apparent ease of the entire procedure, in fact this work is complex and difficult. It largely depends on the size of the cast iron bathtub - if we talk about a small bathtub 1.5 m long, then it is easy to handle. But with large products of this type (for example, with a bathtub 1.7 m long), things are much more complicated, and this is due to their weight, which exceeds 100 kg.