Old houses always seem to have those ugly, bulky soffits. Sometimes they conceal plumbing, electrical, or ductwork, but sometimes they are completely useless. I have had a few that I’ve had to leave as is. And I’ve had some where I had to reroute plumbing or ductwork to be able to remove the soffit. In my recent, and ongoing, remodel of my primary bathroom a big goal was to remove the soffit that ran the length of the room.
The Act of Removing The Soffit
This bathroom was so dated it was taken down to the studs. I started by pulling all of the drywall off of the walls. When that was done I turned my attention to the soffit. I always start with the soffit by cutting a hole in the soffit. Then I take a peek inside to see what it could be hiding. Luck was on my side with this one, there was nothing concealed inside that I would need to move. Since I didn’t need to move anything I took my hammer and prybar to the soffit and began to pull it down. For some reason, the soffit was so offended at being removed, that it took pieces of the ceiling down with it.
Eventually, the drywall had been removed and I started on the frame of the soffit. I easily removed it after a few whacks with the hammer and some tugging. I got that entire section clear and turned my attention to the shower for a bit. A hurricane blew through shortly after I finished tiling the shower. Hurricane Beryl roared by and knocked out my power for a week. What better time to work on electrical and drywall than when you don’t have power.
What To Do After Removing the Useless Soffit?
With the soffit gone the drywall was free to go to the ceiling. The ceiling was also able to be smooth all the way to the wall. I brought in my sheets of drywall and started to hang them. The corner is the best place to start. I lined up the first sheet of drywall and screwed it into the studs. Then I continued along the wall and ceiling hanging drywall by screwing it into the studs. Hanging it on the ceiling really takes two people. You need extra hands to hold the sheet of drywall up and screw it in. Sometimes a section of wall will need a smaller sheet of drywall. In that case I used my drywall saw to cut the drywall to the measurement.
I usually hang all of the drywall and then use pre-mixed joint compound and drywall tape to tape the drywall. Using a drywall knife I add some joint compound to the seam and then add the tape and some more joint compound to the tape. I go over the tape a few times to make sure it is nice and smooth, although usually there is some sanding involved in drywall work when the joint compound is dry. Once it dries I prefer to wet sand using a damp sponge to get a smooth finish on the drywall. This wall is going to have tile so there is no need for texture.
It Feels More Open Without the Soffit
I am so glad that I was able to remove this soffit without any fanfare. Rerouting plumbing and ductwork is the worst. The wall looks so much cleaner without the soffit. Also, the bathroom feels so much bigger and more open. I love to update the look of my house and get rid of useless additions. Removing the soffit is a really easy way to elevate a space and make a room feel more modern. Follow along to see the progress of my bathroom remodel here.
