By Paul Bianchina
Q: I need to remove a cement shower pan. I have removed the tile and plasterboard, but the pan seems to be in there pretty solidly. Can I just use a sledgehammer?- Freddie B., via e-mail.
A: You're right in assuming that the cement shower pan needs to be broken up in order to get it out. To avoid damage to the framing and other adjacent surfaces that could be impacted by repeated blows from a standard, long-handled sledge hammer, I would suggest a smaller, short-handle sledge combined with a large cold chisel to break the cement up into manageable chunks for removal. Remember to wear gloves and eye protection, and cover adjacent surfaces to protect them from dust and chips. Older shower pans often have wire mesh in them for reinforcement, so watch out for that during demolition as well.
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