Tub removal help

[Herb]

I have a 40 year old house and would like to redo the bathroom. My tile person will not remove the tub, so how do I do it. It is metal with a plastic overlay that has been on it about 15 years. The tub is tiled on all sides and the floor.

Thank you for your help in this project,

[Bob10]

Sawzall or angle grinder with proper cutter or if you want to get crazy and this is assuming cast iron, sledge hammer. Proper protection in all cases but if you go with a sledge ear protection and good quality ear protection

[brnhornt]

+1.

I'd try to cut/pry the plastic off....but from there just get some damp towels you don't care about (they'll be destroyed) and a sledge. Wrap the cast iron in the towel and start swinging. Should only take a couple of good strokes to get a crack/hole. After that...just move the towel around and break it up into manageable chunks. Took me all of 30 minutes to break mine apart....eye/ear/skin protection is a must!

[Robert Adams]

I'd also cut the plastic off. Then the tub depends. If it's sheet metal I'd possibly cut it in half with an angle grinder. A sawsall is noisy and often slower than a metal wheel in the grinder.
If the tub is cast iron I use a sledge to break it up and haul it out in pieces.

[doc1]

If you take a sledge hammer to it, try avoid hitting the tub where a stud is just behind where you hit it. Otherwise, you risk breaking up the wall on the other side, or at least big cracks in it. It happened to me.

[brianwelch]

You may already know this, but bears noting anyway. Sledge will only work on a cast iron tub. If it is stamped steel, it will only dent...
Couple of ways to tell - Remove the plastic liner and rap with moderate force using a regular hammer...if it dents, it is steel. If you can remove the fixtures or drain assembly, you can tell by the thickness. Cast iron is many times thicker than steel.
Lastly, wear eye/skin protection as the porcelain chips can become shrapnel-like...

[JKimel]

I did this this to a cast iron tub, sledge hammered it and took it out piece by piece. Funnest job I've ever done.

[jgrogan]

but be careful of the enamel. sharp as broken glass. don't ask how I know

[Robert Adams]

jgrogan said:

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but be careful of the enamel. sharp as broken glass. don't ask how I know

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Cause it is glass and yeah I have had more than my fair share of blood shed from enamel chips.