Removing Plaster From a CMU Foundation Wall

Put on a pair of safety goggles and a respirator to avoid injury from flying bits of plaster and inhalation of plaster dust.

Cover the floor along the base of the wall with plastic sheeting to catch any falling debris.

Cut through the plaster along the joints at the top of the foundation wall where it meets the ceiling, using a utility knife. Make sure you get all the way through the plaster coating to ensure that the removal process does not affect any plaster or other material placed onto the ceiling.

Strike the surface of the plaster in the center of the wall with the flat of the shovel, using a moderate amount of force to crack the material. Continue hitting the plaster, working outward from the first strike across the surface of the wall, until you spread cracks throughout.

Examine the cracks for any through which you can see the block wall beneath. Place the tip of the shovel into that crack and use the edge of the crack to pry away the plaster from the wall. Continue prying off the plaster with the shovel, removing it from the blocks in sections. If a section is difficult to remove, then strike it a few more times with the shovel to loosen it, and then pry it off.

Remove any plaster residue left on the walls after prying off the sections, using a wire brush. Brush the wire bristles along the wall surface until the wall is clear of all traces of the plaster.