How to Open Up a 16-Foot Wall

Inspect the wall to determine if it's a load-bearing wall. Two things that indicate the wall might be a load-bearing wall is if it extends through multiple floors, and if it runs perpendicular to the roof rafters. Hire an inspector to make the final determination if you still can't tell for sure. Taking out a load-bearing wall can cause severe structural damage to your home and cost thousands of dollars to repair.

Turn off the electricity to any circuits inside the wall at your home's main electrical panel. Test the circuits on both sides of the wall with a voltage tester. If you get a reading, return to the main panel and turn off the correct circuit, then test the switches and outlets again. When you no longer get a reading, remove the outlets and switches.

Determine if part of your home's plumbing fixtures run through the wall. One way to do this is to draw a map of your home, and draw the path where the pipes go from the spot where they exit your basement and run to different plumbing fixtures that are near the location of the wall. Take into account fixtures on other floors when doing this. If you're still not sure, hire a plumber to make the determination. If pipes run through the wall, they'll need to be rerouted.

Seal off the area where you're removing the walls to prevent dust from spreading throughout your home. Close interior doors near the wall, tape plastic sheets over open doorways and close vents that lead to your home's heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. Lay tarps or drop cloths on the floor around the wall to protect it and make it easier to clean.

Pry off the molding from the edges of the wall with a pry bar.

Use a stud finder to locate the studs inside the wall, and mark their location.

Knock holes into the drywall between the studs with a sledgehammer. Grab the drywall with your hands and pull it off of the wall. Wear gloves, safety goggles and a mask when doing this.

Pull the wiring and electrical boxes from the switches and outlets out of the wall.

Make a diagonal cut through the studs a few inches off of the floor with a reciprocating saw, except for the studs on each end of the wall. Those are called the end studs.

Pull the top part of the studs out of the top plate. The top plate is the horizontal board that runs along the ceiling. Knock the studs on the bottom plate out with a hammer. Cut the nails off with the reciprocating saw.

Make a diagonal cut in each end stud with the reciprocating saw. Pry the bottom sections of the end stud off of the wall, then remove the top sections.

Pry the top plate off of the ceiling, and the bottom plate off of the floor. If the plates extend through to the next room, cut through them with the reciprocating saw. Pull out the remaining nails.