DIY Network

Utility Room with Rotating Shelves More space – and better organization – transform a cramped utility room. From "Wasted Spaces" episode DWSP-209

Jill Jansing’s utility room needs more: more space, more storage and more organization to handle the laundry for an active family of five. Host Karl Champley helps her rescue some wasted space and create a utility room worth showing off. They start by clearing out the room and knocking down an inconvenient wall.

advertisement

Materials:

Demolition: mesh tape drywall drywall mud Flooring: wood glue plywood subfloor foam pad laminate flooring spacers tapping block

Rotating Shelves: birch plywood 2x4 lumber trim lazy susan 1-3/4" copper pipe screws Miscellaneous: paint ready-built cabinets with countertop cabinets sink countertop

First things first: That wall has got to go.

Tools:

safety glasses
gloves
dust mask
utility knife
pry bar
level
straight edge
carpenter’s pencil
reciprocating saw
hammer
screwdriver
crimper
rubber mallet
scraper
carpenter’s square
staple gun
table saw
circular saw
nail gun
drill
paddle bit
jigsaw

Paint Colors:

Benjamin Moore, eggshell finish, 487b Liberty Park

Knocking Through the Wall

• If there are electrical outlets or light fixtures in the section of wall to be removed, switch off the circuit breakers to the area before getting started. You will want to relocate the outlets and/or fixtures; make sure to call in a licensed electrician if you’re not completely confident you can do the work safely.
  

  	Figure A
  	Figure B

• Use a pencil and a straight edge to mark the sections of drywall to be removed. Make sure the lines are plumb.

• Use a pry bar to remove the trim from around the door and any other trim in the project area of the wall.

• Score the drywall along the lines with a utility knife.

• Knock through the drywall with a hammer and pull the drywall away from the studs on both sides of the wall (figure A). Spread a plastic tarp over the work area before knocking into the drywall for easier cleanup.

  Safety Alert: Wear safety glasses, a dust mask and work gloves when removing the drywall.

• With the sheetrock removed, use a reciprocating saw to cut away the bare studs from the knock-through area (figure B). Use a pry bar as needed to help remove the studs and the top and bottom of the wall frame.

  Safety Alert: Always wear safety glasses and use extreme caution when working with a reciprocating saw. These powerful tools have a strong "kick back" that can make them difficult to control. If you’re not confident you can control the saw safely, get help from someone with greater upper-body strength or simply use a hand saw for the job.

• Clear away the drywall, lumber and other debris from the site, including any nails that may have come out of the wall studs.

Page  1 | 2 | 3 | 4