Removed glued bathtub side panel

[lostbread]

Hello,

I am currently redoing my bathroom and would like to change the side panel of my bathtub. The current panel seems to be a MDF board, and looks glued into something as I cannot see any clips or screws. It has also been siliconed all around (bath, floor, side walls).

Would you know what is the best way to remove this without damaging anything ? (this is my only bathroom).

Below a picture of the side panel, and one of the top left corner.

Thanks

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Looks more like chipboard to me. Score all the silicon with a sharp knife, then get a long screwdriver and pry it off from the top down (use some thick cardboard between driver and bath when you're levering)

 

[fixitflav]

Looks more like chipboard to me. Score all the silicon with a sharp knife, then get a long screwdriver and pry it off from the top down (use some thick cardboard between driver and bath when you're levering)

Yeah, looks like the installer gave no thought to taking the panel off in future, eg to clean the outlet trap.

 

[Tigercubrider]

try to pry it square, as if you get it squint, it will never come out without breaking.
(an obvious question is do you need it or could you replace it?)

My panel is solid wood and has a small "shelf" that is fixed horizontally across the rear midline.
This sits on a framework of 2x1 with a horizontal rail and doesn't tip forwards because there is a second frame that matches above.
The gap is slightly larger than the "shelf" so the shelf simply slides into the gap.

The framework is held together at the back by extra timber.

it works really well.

 

[big-all]

it could be clipped under the lip with perhaps a baton and held in by gravity so once you loosen it up try pulling at the bottom
if you cant get a grip try sliding something wide and thin under twist a bit to raise and grip and gently pull

even drumming on the panel with a fist may bounce the board out a bit with the recoil