How to Tear Out Drywall
- 1). Remove any electrical outlet face plates from the wall.
- 2). Cut around the edges of the drywall section with a utility knife. The cuts should completely penetrate the drywall so the material comes away clean from the areas, such as ceilings and adjacent walls, that you want to keep.
- 3). Wear work gloves, safety glasses or goggles and a dust mask.
- 4). Break fist-sized holes in the drywall with the hammer. Take care to avoid electrical wires, which tend to run from floor to ceiling or horizontally across the wall from electrical switches and outlets. Also watch out for pipes.
- 5). Grasp the drywall through the holes with your hands or hammer and rip it from the studs.
- 6). Remove stray pieces of drywall stuck to the studs with your hands or the hammer.
