A cast-iron bathtub, according to professional repairmen, is the most durable accessory. However, there comes a time when it needs to be replaced. Many owners of old baths try to delay this moment as long as possible, covering the product with new layers of enamel for this. Some people approach this issue radically. This category prefers to completely remove the old bath from the house, and not install a new one in its place. It can be dismantled with or without preservation. Having tried to make this accessory whole, beginners face difficulties and wonder if it is possible to break a cast-iron bath. Or do you have to take it out whole? In this case, you have to hire a brigade or call someone to help.
How to break a cast-iron bathtub in the bathroom? This question becomes very relevant for those who decide not to use the old accessory anywhere else. This task will be easy to deal with. For information on how to quickly break a cast iron bath, you will find in this article.
About dismantling methods
There are two ways to replace an old bathtub:
- With preservation. The bathtub is carefully disconnected from the rest of the communication in the house and taken out. It can be used later. Judging by the reviews, this method is complex and time-consuming.
- No save. In this case, you can both break the cast-iron bath and cut it with an angle grinder. Pieces of the tub are then taken out. Due to the fact that the product now weighs much less, one person can cope with this work. According to experienced craftsmen, if it is necessary to dismantle the bath, they mainly resort to this method. The disadvantage of the method is that the procedure is accompanied by a very large roar.
What is the peculiarity of the method?
According to reviews, it can be concluded that the procedure for breaking a bathtub with a sledgehammer is the most proven method of dismantling in practice. However, it requires a lot of physical effort. To destroy the bath into several parts is not available to everyone. The work must be done by a physically fit person. In addition, the procedure itself should be done during the day. Otherwise, a scandal with neighbors is inevitable.
Preparation
Before proceeding with the dismantling, you need to prepare the room in which the work will be carried out. It is desirable 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 fromrooms and his. The floor must be covered with a rubber mat. Otherwise, the cast-iron product laid on the tiled surface will slip.
Tools
Since the bathtub will first need to be disconnected from the pipes, the master needs to get the following:
- Adjustable and regular wrenches.
- Screwdrivers.
- Pliers.
- Hacksaw and grinder.
- Crowbar.
- sledgehammer.
Due to the fact that rough physical work will be carried out, the master should take care of the means of protection. Special gloves and goggles are required.
Where to start?
Before you break the cast-iron bath, 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 rust heavily, become covered with scale, and the master may have difficulty dismantling cast-iron plumbing. The situation is better if communications are represented by metal-plastic components. In this case, they simply unscrew. It is enough for the master to prepare only pliers. It is not uncommon for the overflow grate to become very sticky.
Before you break the cast-iron bath, you need to dismantle this element. Many craftsmen clamp it with pliers and scroll counterclockwise. If it is not possible to dismantle the overflow in this waypossible, it is cut with a grinder. Judging by the reviews, fasteners often have heavily rusted threads, which can be de alt with only after they are cut. First, several cuts are made on the grate, and then the overflow is knocked down with a chisel. Then a cross is knocked out under the grate. As a result, the siphon should hang freely, connected to the rest of the sewer communication. To remove it, the master needs to get rid of the coupling. Some beginners are wondering if it is possible to break a cast-iron bath with a sledgehammer. According to experts, it is quite possible to do this. It is only necessary to adhere to a clear sequence of actions.
About the weak point of the bath
To those who have never done anything like this before and do not know how to break a cast-iron bath with a sledgehammer, experts recommend finding its most vulnerable spot in this plumbing product. Judging by the numerous reviews, it is located at the bottom, namely near the drain hole. This is where you should hit with a sledgehammer.
Progress of work
After the most vulnerable point is found in the product, the following actions must be performed:
- First of all, the bath should be slightly moved away from the wall. To complete this task, you will need a chisel and a hammer, with which the plumbing product is removed from the cement mortar around the perimeter. The optimal distance of the bath to the wall will be from 100 to 150 mm.
- Using an angle grinder equipped with cut-off wheels, the bath should bea few cuts. The task of the master is to deprive the product of strength. The places of cutting on the bath should be its curved edges on both sides. They are used as stiffeners. If the work is done correctly, then from strong blows to the bottom of the cast-iron product, it will develop.
- Break through the drain hole. At this stage, the bath does not need to be turned over. The master only applies very strong blows with a sledgehammer to the drain from the inside of the bath. Judging by the reviews, after these actions, the bath is divided into two separate halves. If this did not happen, then it will happen to deal with its sides.
- Turn the tub on its side and cover with old rags. Burlap is also fine. Blows are applied to the outer part of the cast iron product. As a result, the previously broken drain hole in the bathroom should turn out to be even more expanded. After several hits, a long strip forms along the entire bottom of the tub.
Finishing
At the very end, the cast-iron bath must be completely turned over. The bottom of the sanitary ware should be directed upwards. At this stage, the sides are processed with a sledgehammer. As a result, the bath is broken into several pieces, which will then be convenient to take out. In addition, the bath can be divided into smaller pieces. To do this, you have to work as a grinder. The gas cutting method is considered quite effective.
A few tips from the experts
For those who do not know how to break a cast-iron bathtub, professionals recommend adhering to safety precautions. Mostly this work is done by two people. Since the procedure involves a grinder and a sledgehammer, you can protect yourself from injury 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.
