What to Do With Demo Debris?
Protecting the rest of the house from the demolition is the goal; work backward from there.
It’s tempting to get all of the debris from a demolition into the dumpster as soon as possible, but that’s not always the best approach. New Jersey remodeler Tyler Grace of TRG Home Concepts stages a bunch of plastic trash cans inside the workspace, and uses them to store debris while he works. See the process below, and read his full step-by-step guide to do-it-yourself demolition in issue 271.
Small debris goes into plastic trash cans, while larger debris is stored in the workspace as well. When the cans and space are full, Grace moves them to the dumpster in as few trips as possible. That cuts down on the number of times he has to open up the work area to the rest of the house, minimizing the transmission of dust.
Components that aren’t getting saved are broken down into pieces that can easily fit in the dumpster. Demoed cabinets are broken down into flat slabs and laid flat in the dumpster to keep from wasting space.
If something’s too big or heavy for one person to carry safely, Grace’s crew teams up. Going through the trouble of setting up dust walls and floor protection as Grace does would be a waste if nail-filled sheets of old underlayment bumped into the door jamb on the way to the dumpster.
Check out the full article, “DIY Kitchen Demolition,” in issue #271. Plus, read more of Tyler Grace’s demolition tips here:
Photos by Brian McAward.
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