Tearing down shelves/cabinets stuck to the ceiling...

[Lisa0825]

Is this something I can safely attempt, or would it be absolutely necessary to consult a professional?

I have these HORRID cabinets which look like they were stuck there in a makeshift manner after the house was built. They were later sloppily painted. They hang over the peninsula, making my small kitchen feel very claustrophobic. I'd like to open it up, so I want to just remove the cabinets, not replace them. Initially, I planned to renovate the kitchen, but the money was used on other more practical matters (central AC, rewiring the house, new roof, etc). If there are some safe steps I can take to remove them, I would like to try, but if it risks bringing the ceiling down with it, I will just wait until I can pay a pro. So, I am really just looking for a thumbs-up/thumbs-down as to whether it is something that should be attempted by an amateur, and any pointers if you think it can be safely done.

Please don't judge me on these... remember, I inherited this house!LOL

Photos 1 and 2 are the view from inside the kitchen; 3 and 4 the view from the dining room. 1 and 3 are the side that attaches to the wall and ceiling, 2 and 4 are the side that attaches to the ceiling and overhangs the counter.

http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/Lisa0825/house/?sc=1&multi=1&addtype=local&media=image



edited to add.... what I was hoping was feasible was to remove them a section at a time.... sawing off the bottom, them the main part, then removing the top so that it would minimize stress to the places it adheres to the ceiling.

[politicat]

1. Havig done something similar, I don't think you need to worry

The only issue you really will have is cleaning up the ceiling when you're done - it won't (likely) come down on you, but there will be schmutz left - paint, caulk, etc. Determine BEFORE if the ceiling is plaster or drywall (I can't tell.)Drywall is pretty easy to fix - sand down then patch any holes with joint compound and paint to match. The pink (dries white)joint compound is a gift from the household gods.

Plaster is a bit tougher, especially if it's "dead" (i.e. won't hold a patch). Dead plaster pulls away from the lathe and will have to be fixed in much the same way was with drywall, but you'll need a lot more joint compound and need to do it a bit more slowly so everything dries smoothly. As far as pulling them down goes, get yourself a crowbar and remove any screws holding it in place, then pull them down in one piece. Sawing them is likely to stress the ceiling more - vibration and a twisting of the remaining support. You can patch the ceiling from the crowbar, but it's going to suck a lot more if you need to replace whole sheets of drywall.

As with all home improvement projects, your mileage may vary and there are no guarantees. Be prepared for a long and frustrating day and keep impressionable children at a distance. You WILL swear like a sailor. Have a helper to either hold the cabinets as you bring them down or to pry while you support them... or stack bricks, books, sturdy boxes under the cabinet so they don't go crashing on to your toes when they come loose.

[NMDemDist2]

2. i'm no expert, but usually cabinets aren't attached to the ceiling

i'm wondering if that crown moulding is just hiding the seam

I'd start by taking off the crown moulding and see. what politicat says makes sense to me

don't take them off in sections, just get that moulding off and see. and do have help like she said

good luck and we want pics !!

[Lisa0825]

11. I think they have to be attached to the ceiling....

because they do not attach to anything beneath them, and I would think it was too heavy to only attach to the wall on one side. It looks like those wood "pipes" are probably supporting them on the free side.

I took off the moulding, and it doesn't look like they are attached on the seam. I think just to the wall on the wall side and help up by the wooden supports on the suspended side.

[Warpy]

3. Cabinets stuck to the ceiling can be a little tricky

and make sure you have help and a nice can of joint compound at the ready. It might be a good idea to build a jig to brace them in place while you unscrew them.

I pulled one out of my bedroom ceiling alone and regretted it. It weighed over 60 pounds, made of half inch plywood, heavy as hell. If I had to do it over again, I'd hire somebody, anybody, to help me heft the damn thing.

Consider the finish on your ceiling. If it's a popcorn finish, there will be a smooth area where the cabinet once was.

Unless you've got a plumbing stack, a range vent or under cabinet wiring to consider, it should be a straightforward job to rip them down. Ceiling repair is genterally not extensive unless you've got some sort of weird finish to match in either room, but you may have to paint.

[Lisa0825]

4. Thanks for the tips.... look at pic 2

Those 2 cylindrical supports go up into the ceiling. Now I am wondering if I will have to look in the attic to see how they attach. If so, I'd just wait for cooler weather, because I can't handle crawling around in my attic in the heat.

[NMDemDist2]

5. those look like pipes. if they are they are probably plumbing vents

and you'll want to leave them

it would be easy to disquise them if they need to stay

did the house have a steam heating system at some point?

[Lisa0825]

6. They don't connect to anything when they come down.

If they were plumbing vents, wouldn't they be connected to something?

[NMDemDist2]

8. they just hang there in what is basically mid air?

are they wood or metal?

[Lisa0825]

10. They end at the bottom of the shelf.

OH, great question! I just checked, and they are wood with a few layers of paint. I couldn't be sure by looking, so I scraped the paint off. I guess that solves the mystery of whether they are pipes, huh?LOL

[Warpy]

7. You'll need to know what those pipes attach to

so it will require a trip up into the attic.

Those look like the same diameter as both gas and water pipes. You'll want to make sure there's none of either in them.

It's pretty screwy construction, whatever it is. I can see why you want to get rid of them.

[Lisa0825]

9. They end at the bottom of the shelf.

Here is the picture of the bottom half of it:

[Warpy]

12. If they're metal, they may be bolted to the joists.

If they're wood, try prying off the crown molding to make sure they don't go through the ceiling.

It's weird construction, that's for sure.

[Lisa0825]

13. they are wood, and as you can see in this pic,

they do go into the ceiling.

[NMDemDist2]

14. i'd take a crowbar to the top moulding and see what you get

you're taking em down anyway so might as well get a start on it until you can get a pal over to help you

[Lisa0825]

15. I did take the moulding down.

I can't see anything other than the fact that there is a gap. I think it is only attached at the wall and the two wooden bars.

[NMDemDist2]

19. can you see nail heads in the top sections of the bars?

if they are just toe nailed in they should coume right out of the ceiling and you'll be set

[Lisa0825]

20. Nope... can't see any....

it looks like the bars go right into the ceiling, no type of fasteners on the inside side of the room.

[Lisa0825]

21. A somewhat related question, but I didn't want to start a new topic...

OK, I have a moderate fear of spiders... not little wolf spiders or daddy long legs... but big ugly spiders that I don't KNOW are harmless.

If I am going to have to go up into the attic, I am a little nervous about it, because it is a rarely-opened space, and I expect a lot of cobwebs and probably spiders.

Does anyone know if it is safe to put a "bug bomb" up there in the attic, close the trap door, and NOT leave the house/load up my pets? If I only do the attic with one canister, does it all stay up there well enough that we can remian in the house?

[NMDemDist2]

22. i dunno about that, sorry

just read the labels I guess :shrug:

[Warpy]

16. That still requires a trip up into the attic

because no matter how carefully you saw them flush, you'll still end up with high spots plastered over that will probably crack every time the wood swells or shrinks.

I wish I had better news. Maybe you can find out who did the job and send him some hate mail.

[NMDemDist2]

17. i'm hoping they are just toenailed in and she can pull em loose

from the kitchen

[Warpy]

23. I doubt it

These incompetent Harry Handyman jobs are never like that. It never occurs to them to locate the joists like a normal person and screw the cabinets into them. No-o-o! They have to go up in the attic and drill DOWN, fix the dowels to the joists, and hang the cabinets off them.

That's what it looks like to me, anyway. It's beyond weird, you'll have to admit that.

I oughta know. My house was owned by one just like him.

[NMDemDist2]

24. ...

:hug:

[Lisa0825]

18. LOL!

I bet it was whoever my parents bought the house from 28 years ago, because I doubt the actual homebuilder would have done such a weird thing!

I agree with you that I should go into the attic, so that will have to wait until the temps get below 90 degrees.

Thanks, everyone for helping me figure it out! :pals:

[Longhorn]

25. I asked my husband, a remodeling contractor, to look at your photos

and read this discussion. If those "pipes" are wood, it is his opinion that you can knock the cabinets down and cut the dowels off flush with the ceiling using a Sawzall. If you're doing this by yourself, use the Sawzall to cut the cabinet up and take it down in pieces. When you have it down, you can probably take a hammer and knock the dowels up into the attic so that you can patch the ceiling flush. If it should turn out that the pipes are metal, you can still cut them off using a metal-cutting blade. All of this can be done without going into the attic.

He'll be glad to answer if you have any more questions. Good luck! :hi:

[Lisa0825]

26. AWESOME, thanks!!!!

Now, I will go look up "Sawzall!"LOL

and the "pipes" are wood, so that shouldn't be a problem. Thank him for me!!! :pals:

[xxqqqzme]

27. My som & I removed a hanging kitchen

cabibet a couple of years ago. We just took it apart piece by piece - whacked it where it looked like we could whack it. After we removed it, we discovered there had been a fire in the kitchen because there was smoke discoloration that had seeped thru the seam against the ceiling. Hanging cabinets are very rarely integral to the construction.

Do it! - you will be amazed at how it opens up the space. In my kitchen, it let much need light into the dark part of the kitchen.

[Lisa0825]

28. Thanks for the encouragement!

I was at my friend's house tonight, and it turns out they have a saw like the one mentioned above, but another brand, so they let me borrow it. I think I may give it a shot tomorrow and see what happens. If y'all don't hear from me, send help! LOL