How to Remove a Sheetrock Wall Next to a Ceiling

Remove any pictures or other wall hangings from the wall. Any curtain rods, curtains or blinds should also be taken down.

Use the screwdriver to unscrew any switch and outlet covers.

Close any doors leading into or out of the room. If there are any open passageways, use tape to hang plastic sheets over them. It's important to close off the room to prevent any drywall dust from traveling through the house.

Open some windows in the room where you will be removing the wall. This will improve ventilation and help let some of the drywall dust escape the room.

Put on your safety goggles, work gloves and dust mask.

Cut along the Sheetrock wall in the top corner where it meets the ceiling. To do this, start in one corner and make the cut with the utility knife, going from one end of the wall to the other. While cutting, apply moderate pressure to the knife. You'll most likely need to make two passes with the knife to get a deep enough cut through the drywall where it meets the ceiling. By making this cut, you will prevent damage to the corner of the ceiling as you remove the Sheetrock wall. If you are only removing one wall, you'll also need to cut along the vertical corner where two walls meet to prevent damage to the edge of the wall you are leaving intact.

Turn on the stud finder and place it on the wall, moving it horizontally until a wall stud is located. Depending on the specific kind of stud finder you have, a series of lights will illuminate or an alarm will beep when you have found a stud. Mark the location on the wall with the pencil.

Punch a hole in the wall by hitting the wall with the hammer. Aim for the spot directly to the left or right of the stud you've marked. You'll need to strike the Sheetrock a few times to make a hole large enough to fit both hands into.

Grip the wall through the hole you've created and gently pull back on the drywall, then push it forward. Sheetrock can easily break into smaller pieces, but it will be much easier to remove it if you can keep it intact. When pulling on the Sheetrock, do not try to quickly rip it off the wall. Instead, only use moderate force when pulling back on it. Repeat this process until that area of drywall has dislodged from the stud that is nearest to the hole.

Continue pulling back on the drywall, working your way horizontally across the wall until an entire sheet of drywall has been removed.

Now that one large sheet of drywall has been removed, you will be able to grab the exposed edge of the next piece of drywall and pull it off the stud.

Work your way across the wall until all of the Sheetrock has been removed.