How to Take Down a Wall Under a Vaulted Ceiling

Place a tall ladder close to the ceiling. Drag a utility knife along the seam between the ceiling and wall. In some cases the seam will be covered in paper corner tape. In other cases a special vaulted ceiling flexible joint may be used that's somewhat harder to cut through.

Cut the inside paper tape between the wall you're removing and the adjacent wall. By cutting the tape you keep from tearing the drywall and finish on connecting walls. Cut the caulk along the trim with the utility knife. Remove the baseboard trim using a pry bar.

Turn off the electricity to any outlet or switch on the wall. Check the outlets using a test light. Remove the outlet and switchplate covers using a screwdriver. Detach the wires by unscrewing them from the outlets and switches. Screw a wire nut over the exposed wire. Unscrew the outlet and switch from the electrical box.

Create an opening in the drywall with a knife. Peel the drywall away with your hands and discard it in a container. Create an opening large enough for you to easily see everything inside the wall. Cut the wall using a drywall saw held at a 20- to 30-degree angle. Avoid cutting any wires, pipes, drainage, ducts or other obstacles. Remove all of the drywall.

Use a sawzall to cut through the studs. Remove each stud and discard them. Place a wide putty knife on the adjacent wall. Position a pry bar over the putty knife, using the knife to shield the adjacent wall from damage. Rotate the pry bar under the stud against the adjacent wall. The putty knife will prevent the pry bar from making a hole in the drywall. Pry the stud away from the wall. Cut the fasteners with a sawzall.

Use similar techniques to remove the top and bottom plates against the ceiling and floor. Once you pry the plate away from the ceiling you may be able to get the blade of the sawzall between the plate and the ceiling to cut the fasteners. This can speed up the wall removal. Do not disturb any pipes in the wall cavities, as those must be re-routed by a plumber. Usually you can pull the wires through the wall to the nearest outlet or switch. It may be necessary to re-route some wires if they're connected to other outlets or switches.