Whether cutting cabinet installation costs or trimming the cost of painting cabinets, learning how to remove kitchen cabinets yourself can save money and doesn't require years of skills training. However, doing the job yourself comes with some safety risks as cabinets are heavy, bulky items. Learn how to uninstall kitchen cabinets safely and easily to make room for the next phase of your project.
Prepping to Remove Kitchen Cabinets
Preparing to remove your kitchen cabinets requires a bit of planning. Cabinets can be heavy, so having a partner to lend a hand when necessary is a good idea. Also, if protecting the floor is your goal, lay down a drop cloth or two onto the floor. However, use caution when walking on the cloth to avoid slipping.
It’s also helpful to cut a pair of scrap lumber boards to equal the length from the floor to the bottom of the upper wall cabinets and set them aside until you're ready for them later in the steps.
Prep the Room
Preparing the cabinets consists of a couple of steps. First, remove everything from inside the cabinets and store it somewhere well out of the way. Next, remove the cabinet-mounted microwave if you have a model that isn't hardwired but has a plug instead. Unplug the appliance and, with a helper holding the unit up, unscrew the two screws in the cabinet above. You can now lower the front of the microwave and pull it off the wall bracket. Contact a local electrician to help with a hardwired microwave or stove hood.
Take Off Doors and Drawers
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Using your drill or power screwdriver, remove the screws that secure the cabinet side of the door hinges to each cabinet. Set the doors aside and out of the way. Next, remove the drawers from the base cabinets and set them aside.
Disconnect Mechanicals
If you're an experienced DIYer, you may have the skills necessary to turn off and disconnect the plumbing to the kitchen sink and dishwasher. However, we recommend hiring a professional plumber to take care of the task. If electrical devices or wires are present, you may need to have an electrician disconnect those items and get the wires out of your way. At the very least, turn off the electrical circuit to the kitchen outlets at the breaker panel.
With a combination of a hammer, putty knife, and pry bar, put on safety glasses and remove any crown molding trim at the top of the wall cabinets. Repeat the process for the trim boards or quarter-round trim where the base cabinets meet the floor.
Remove the Sink
Unscrew the retaining clips underneath the lip of the sink or where an undermount sink connects to the countertop. Use a utility knife to cut the silicone sealant from around the top of the undermount sink while supporting the sink's weight with your other hand. The unit should come free, but you may need some gentle prying with a putty knife or a pry bar.
For other sinks, wedge a putty knife under the sink's lip and gently pry up the edges to remove. The sink should come straight up and out of the hole. However, you may need to cut some sealant away with a utility knife.
Countertops generally connect to the base cabinets with a few screws and adhesive underneath the counter. Unscrew the screws with your drill or power screwdriver from below the counter. From below, use your pry bar to wedge into gaps between the countertop and the cabinets. Gently pry in several locations until the countertop comes loose. Remove the countertops with a helper and set them safely aside.
Disassemble and Remove Base Cabinets
Base cabinets join together at the front frames and to the wall with screws. Find the frame screws between the door or drawer stiles. They may be hiding under wood fill or stickers. Remove the screws and then remove the screws holding the cabinets to the wall. Pull each base cabinet free from the rest one at a time as you go and set each aside.
Prepare to Remove Wall Cabinets
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Wall cabinets also connect at the frame stiles and to the wall. However, their attachments to the wall vary. If you don't have a helper to hold the wall cabinets as you remove them, stand your two scrap lumber pieces from earlier under each cabinet resting on the floor and against the wall. This setup will provide some safety by propping up each cabinet briefly until you have both hands free to lift the cabinet off the wall.
Remove Wall Cabinets
One upper cabinet at a time, remove the frame stile screws only from the cabinet you're currently removing. If screws attach the cabinet to the wall, remove them while you, your helper, or your temporary supports hold the cabinet in place. Pull the cabinet straight out from the wall to remove it. If no screws are present going into the wall, lift the cabinet off of its support rail located behind it. Or, if there's no support rail either, the unit is likely glued to the wall, in which case, pry it loose from the wall and remove it.
DIY Kitchen Cabinet Removal vs. Hiring a Pro
While you don’t need many supplies to remove kitchen cabinets yourself, you may need to spend some money hiring professionals to disconnect and reconnect wires and pipes for you. The project requires patience, and although you won't need years of experience to do it, having some knowledge of how cabinets attach to the wall and each other will help.
However, if you'd prefer to have a professional tackle this task, a cabinet repair professional near you can perform the work for you. Expect the cost of kitchen demolition to hover around $800 on average. You can also consult your cabinet repair pro to determine the cost of only removing the cabinets.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's possible to remove cabinets yourself. However, use caution if you perform the work without a helper to support the upper units as you detach them from each other and the wall. You may also need the assistance of a plumber and electrician to ensure that kitchen mechanicals are safely out of your way when removing cabinets.
There are three primary ways to attach upper kitchen cabinets to a wall, and installers may use more than one method at a time. The most common method is to drive screws through the back of the cabinets and into studs in the wall behind. Sometimes cabinets are glued to the wall with strong adhesive. Often a combination of screws and adhesive is desirable. The last way is by hanging the cabinets on hardware brackets that attach to the wall before cabinet installation.
Deane has spent 30+ years in residential construction, contracting, remodeling, maintenance, and home repair, and now contributes DIY and educational articles for publications like Forbes Home and U.S. News. Throughout his career, he has strived to help homeowners find the potential hidden within the walls of every home and empower them to take control of their household repair and remodeling endeavors.
Deane has spent 30+ years in residential construction, contracting, remodeling, maintenance, and home repair, and now contributes DIY and educational articles for publications like Forbes Home and U.S. News. Throughout his career, he has strived to help homeowners find the potential hidden within the walls of every home and empower them to take control of their household repair and remodeling endeavors.
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