How to Remove a Front Stoop

Concrete Stoops

• 1

  Drill out the fasteners holding the railings to the house and stair treads with a power drill that's equipped with a carbide bit. Remove the railings and put them aside for re-installation or dispose of them if you are installing new railings.

• 2

  Put on safety glasses, gloves and a dust mask. String caution tape from the edge of the house on both sides of the stoop. Extend it about 10 to 15 feet toward the street so that it crosses the front of the house to keep passersby safe. Cover windows and doors on the first floor with plywood.

• 3

  Strike the bottom step forcefully with a sledgehammer, beginning near the center and working out toward the edge of the step. Remove the broken debris and place it in a pile for later disposal. Strike the second step with the sledgehammer to break it up and remove the debris.

• 4

  Continue to break the stairs and top landing and then remove the debris until the front stoop is rubble. If the stoop is tall, build scaffolding to gain access to the higher areas of the stoop.

• 5

  Chip larger masonry pieces off the foundation with a masonry cold chisel and masonry hammer.

Wood Stoops

• 6

  Put on safety glasses, gloves and a dust mask. String caution tape from the edge of the house on both sides of the stoop. Extend it about 10 to 15 feet toward the street so that it crosses the front of the house to keep passersby safe.

• 7

  Chip the stair rail supports out of the wood treads and landing with a hammer and chisel if you are saving the railing. If you are replacing the railings, cut the spindles and posts flush with the surface of the steps and landing with a reciprocating saw.

• 8

  Force a flat pry bar between the stair tread and riser at the edge of the step, beginning on the bottom step. Exert downward pressure on the pry bar to pop the nails from the stringers. Move the pry bar to the center of the step, press the pry bar down and pop the nails. Move the pry bar to the edge of the step, force the pry bar in, press down and pop the nails. Continue up the steps, prying the treads off as you move toward the landing.

• 9

  Insert the pry bar between the riser and stringer at the point at which the riser meets the stringer and pry the risers off the stringers, beginning on the bottom step and working up to the landing.

• 10

  Move under the landing and strike the boards with a hammer to loosen and pop the nails. Continue to strike the boards until all nails are loose. Place the claw end of the hammer under the loose nails and pry them out of the boards until no boards cover the landing. Cut the stringers away from the foundation of the house with a reciprocating saw.