How to break a cast iron bathtub: expert advice

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 the old bathtub from the house rather than install a new one in its place. 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. According to experienced craftsmen, if it is necessary to dismantle the bathtub, they mainly resort to this method. The disadvantage of this method is that the procedure is accompanied by a very large roar.

Methods of removal from the apartment

When removing cast iron plumbing from the apartment, you will need the help of another person. If the entire bathtub needs to be removed, it is placed vertically. One person grabs the top legs and tilts the container slightly so that a partner can grab the bottom supports. Plumbing fixtures are carried diagonally through a narrow doorway. The front legs are brought out first, then the hind legs.

If the supports are cut off, the container is placed on its side and moved along the floor. After carrying it through the doorway, one person grabs the front end, the second - the back. If there is no assistant, the bath must first be destroyed.

Removing the bathtub from the apartment.

Chop or smash with a sledgehammer at home

Breaking with a sledgehammer is a quick way to prepare plumbing fixtures for removal.

The work is carried out as follows:

Cover the container with a damp cloth; you can use a sheet or tablecloth for this. The amount of debris and dust generated will be minimal.
They strike from the side. If the metal does not break, additionally use a crowbar or wedge, which is hit with a sledgehammer.
Remove construction waste.

This method of destruction has its drawbacks. Removing small fragments and dust takes a lot of time. Also, when hitting a sledgehammer, it will not be possible to avoid loud sounds.

Saw with a grinder and break

You can destroy the container without creating a lot of unnecessary noise using a grinder.

Cut the bathtub with a grinder.

Perform the following actions:

make cuts on the body with a metal disc;
insert metal wedges into the resulting slots;
hit with a sledgehammer until the bowl breaks.

It will not be possible to completely get rid of the noise, but this method makes the operation less noisy.

Cutting is also performed using another method:

Wear a mask and goggles to protect against dust and debris.
A metal disc is installed on the grinder. Use a nozzle with a diameter of 23 cm. This will speed up the sawing process.
Work begins from the middle, moving the disk from the sides to the bottom. When the cut reaches the center of the bottom, the nozzle is placed at the opposite edge. The cuts should form a single line. Wooden blocks are first placed under the bath so that the halves do not squeeze the disk.
If the parts do not separate from each other, press on the bottom. The cuts are made until pieces are obtained that can be easily pulled out alone.

What is special about the 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. Not everyone can afford to destroy a bathtub into several parts. 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.

Bathtub dismantling: process features

Not to say that this work is difficult, but it does have some nuances.

First of all, we should definitely turn off the water, hot and cold.
Next, dismantle the bathtub drain, and do it carefully, because it is quite possible that it will be useful for new plumbing.
Afterwards, dismantling the faucet in the bathroom, which is very simple, by turning off the water supply to the faucet and unscrewing it from the bathtub or special frame. Afterwards, a respirator, gloves, boots, glasses, thick clothes, a piece of burlap and a little strength to break the bathtub and take it to the trash.
In principle, the issue is closed, and all that remains is to begin the repair or install a new bathtub.

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.

General bathroom dismantling

The main requirements for preparing the premises for work are:

Disabling bathroom communications;
Removal of things, accessories and bath accessories;
Removing furniture from the premises;
Dismantling of plumbing and sanitary ware;
Cleaning the room of everything unnecessary inside that could interfere with the productivity of the craftsmen.

On the one hand, there is a rather small list, which seems even simple in practice, but not everything is so simple.

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.

How to remove an old steel bathtub?

The basic principles when dismantling a steel bathtub remain the same as when dismantling a cast iron bathtub, with the only difference being that, firstly, steel bathtubs weigh less, and secondly, it will not be possible to break such a bathtub with a sledgehammer - if the bathtub does not fit through the doorway , it will have to be sawed.

Instead of a siphon, steel bathtubs typically use a special system of plastic or steel pipes, also called a bathtub piping or drain-overflow system. It is much easier to dismantle such a system than cast iron pipes. First try to spin up the system.

If this does not work, then the steel strapping should be cut down with a grinder, and the plastic strapping can be broken with an ordinary hammer or any other suitable tool.

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 complete this task, you will need a chisel and a hammer, with the help of which the plumbing product is removed from the cement mortar around 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 through 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.

Where can I submit it?

If it was not possible to keep the bathtub intact, or there is simply no time to do restoration, then all that remains is to hand it over or throw it away. But the question arises, where exactly?

There are at least 4 options for what to do with your old bathtub:

Take it to a container or take it to a landfill.
Take it and sell it for scrap.
Take it to the country or sell it.
Replacement of the bathtub with removal of the old one.

Let's look at the details of each of these options.

Take it to a container or take it to a landfill

This is the easiest way to get rid of a cast iron bathtub. Especially if you destroyed it with a sledgehammer. If there is a trash container near your house or apartment, you can take the bath debris there. True, if the container is intended for construction waste. It is enough to collect everything in bags or bags and take it out manually.

The second option is to collect the pieces of the bathtub and take them to the nearest landfill. If the bathtub is destroyed, then you can use a car. If it is intact, then you will need a truck. All that's left is to simply throw away the trash.

Take it and sell it for scrap

This way you can not only get rid of it, but also earn a small amount from it. Why should good things disappear? The cost of cast iron for scrap metal is from 7 to 10 rubles on average. Maybe more. Let the bathtub weigh 150 kg, the total will be 150 rubles. A small thing, but nice. Considering that taking it to a landfill wastes gasoline and makes no profit.

In addition, you can look for more unnecessary metal at the dacha to kill two birds with one stone. In this case, you can get even more money. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that there are services for dismantling and removal of bathtubs, which we will discuss below. So, instead of spending money on them, you can remove the bath yourself, receiving an additional 150–300 rubles.

Take it to the country or sell it

If the bathtub remains intact and in good condition, it can be used in the countryside for washing or for the methods listed above. On the other hand, if you restore a cast iron bathtub using an acrylic cover, you can get a lot of money for it if you sell it.

Soviet cast iron is reliable and will last for a long time. Therefore, it is rational to look for buyers for a bathtub. You can post an ad or ask neighbors and relatives if they need a used bathtub. It is noteworthy that depending on the condition of the bathtub, it can be sold for 500 or even 5 thousand rubles. The benefit is obvious.

Replacing a bathtub with removal of the old one

There are companies that provide such services. They are as follows:

You are buying a new bathtub.
The company delivers the bathtub to your home.
She also dismantles the old bathroom and installs a new one in its place.
The company undertakes the removal and removal of the old bathtub.

At the same time, you receive a discount on the entire range of work on installation and dismantling of bathtubs. The offer is profitable and will save you time and money.

Some advice from experts

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.

Preparing to work with the bath

In order to cut a bathtub with a grinder, you should stock up on:

Angle grinder - grinder.
Several CDs for her.
A respirator.
Safety glasses.
Dirty clothes that you can throw away later.

Everything should be taken out of the bathroom, because any surface after sawing will be covered with black dust. When dressing for this procedure, you should take into account that the clothes will most likely have to be thrown away afterwards.

Safety glasses and a respirator will prevent cast iron dust from entering the respiratory system and eyes. But this still will not protect completely, and it will take a long time to wash off the black metal dust. Before starting work, you should make sure that the doors are tightly closed, and if they are removed, the opening must be carefully covered with film.

Related article: Decorating the dacha: Autumn crafts for the garden

The grinder may come in handy during the dismantling process. If the bathtub has been in use for many years, the drain siphon could be quite rusty. It will have to be cut down, since it could have already “fused” with the pipe. First, near the sewer, and then, pulling out the vacated bathtub and turning it upside down, finally removing it, cutting it close to the wall.