Let’s start with the most involved repair — a broken tile. We’ve reviewed your question and shared it with our radio producer, Marc, for consideration. Dry yourself off, then use another towel to dry off the tiles. Try using a hand wood saw with a blade that is at least as long as the tile. Special tools are available... Tile Removal. The floor has a dip in it from age and needed to be leveled. I wanted to remove tiles from my bathroom safely but I broke many of them. I just removed about 25 porcelain tiles from my concrete floor. Score the 1st tile you plan on starting with using the grout cutter. It was a raised plywood floor which it turned out wasn’t stout enough to prevent flexing. ALSO, THERE IS HARD GROUT OR CEMENT LEFT ON EDGE OF SINK WHERE TILES WERE THAT I DID GET OFF AND THAT IS LIKE A ROCK. use a putty knife to scrape off the grouting without causing any surface damage to your tiles Took FOREVER doing the same thing on each tile but got them out, ground the thin set off the back and was able to reuse them. The machine and after that i can pour the fresh new grout on the kitchen counter. The latter works best when working with tiles on the floor and isn't a practical option for removing tiles from a wall. Realize not all tile is laid evenly. Thanks. We coved the floor w black mosaic tiles and black sanded grout which looked gorgeous once completed. You can replace broken ones and resecure a loose tile, but there’s no good fix for nicks and chips. Several weeks after installing, grout is coming out of random tiles. Don a dust mask in addition to gloves and goggles. I am looking for how to remove tiles without breaking them and what tool to use? Leveling Compound For Tile Remove the baseboard and trim surrounding the tile floor to make space for the new surface level. You may have to break that one. I would think it would be possible to cut out these pieces of floor and carefully chisel out the pieces. maul. Is there any chance in this? I would like to know an easy way to remove tiles that were installed wrong. Is this true? Once you have removed the tiles, you will see there is an adhesive beneath that is either rock-hard or semi-soft. There is concrete behind the tile surrounding the fireplace but i’m not sure about the floor. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Why is grout breaking and coming out in some area but not others? Designed by myThem.es. I have a small bathroom with marble tile from 1937. I had some bathroom little tiles installed just yesterday and don’t like it. All rights reserved. x 24 in. Place a suction cup in the middle of the tile and thread twine through the hole. Also you can use putty knives to help lift some old tiles. I broke one tile but it was a half tile and those with cuts are weaker. Therefore, you should use the same chisel to remove the adhesive from the wall, by tapping it with a hammer progressively. Hi, we removed our bathtub and installed a wet room, using thick liner under cement. There are a myriad of tools designed for this job, which include grout saws, carbide tipped tools, … Remove outlet covers and cut the electricity to the area where you will be removing the tiles. Also its reccomended that when grouting you work grout in very well toll fill in all the gaps to the subfloor and tiles to ensure a tight lock to avoid weak areas. Does anyone do this or is it hopeless? Now you've created a small opening where you can slide a flat-bladed shovel under both the cement board and the ceramic tiles. If the tiles are firmly attached, you may not be able to remove them without breaking, but here’s how to give it a try. We need an answer asap! Thanks. how do you remove tiles stuck to a sink? . Wife is into this ‘feng shui’ thing. Lot’s of patience helps and it is probably a good idea to put water around the tile and let it sit. thanks. x 24 MSI’s Carolina Timber White 6 in. thanks! Removing ceramic tile can be hard or you can do it the easy way. Do you have any other recommendations? I wanted to replace old the vanity, mirror, and lights. Advice? Otherwise, the sealer will naturally break down over time, allowing more stains to take hold. I have a rather small bathroom and do not want to remove marble tile (small square tiles). Examine the perimeter of the tiled area, looking for exposed tile edges or edging strips that can be removed to give... 2. I have old hexagon tile with a 4×4 tile installed overtop of it. Of course this does not work on the first tile out. What about heat to soften the adhesive? Need to know if there is a way to remove ceramic tile without breaking it so that it can be reused. If the tiles are firmly attached, you may not be able to remove them without breaking, but here’s how to give it a try. The job is somewhat easy if the tile is adhered to cement board that is nailed to a wood subfloor. For those of you who are commenting about dirty grout, once it is thoroughly cleaned and dry, you should SEAL IT! I have a older (at least 90 years old) home with a standing gas fireplace. If the tile is stuck to plywood, the strategy is a little different. You can tap on top of the tile to see where it is still attached by the sound. Help! please help. 3. The grout is heavy dirty and i tried many things. Doreen. Also once tiles are removed how to remove grout? Ceramic tiles can break, come loose or chip. Powered by WordPress. I want to replace the tile surrounding the brick insert of the fireplace and floor in front of the fireplace. Hope u could help me how to solve this problem. It should come up fairly easily. THE FIRST 4 CAME OUT FINE, BUT NOW THE REST WILL NOT BUDGE. WHAT CAN I DO TO GET THE REMAINING TILES OFF AND THE LEFTOVER CEMENT OR HARD GROUT LEFT/, The easiest I found was to use a “renovator” tool. Once this first tile is removed, place the chisel against the bottom edge of adjacent tiles, apply pressure with your hammer and the tiles should pop up easily (image 2). However, you can usually remove ceramic floor tiles without breaking them, as long as you are very careful and use the proper materials. You can either cut around one tile at a time, or around all the tiles at once, it makes no difference. Hi, He used sanded grout that had to be mixed. K. McCormack. I had my ensuite redone 5yrs ago and the floors cracking plus I hate the tiles however can we pull the floor tiles up and replace them they did a terrible job the grout is just awful no amount of cleaning helps I have been told the whole bathroom will have to be retiled a big expense when it was done 5yrs ago in May please help. Use the chisel to chip out the rest of the tile.Place the cold chisel in the grout line at the edge of the tile and start chipping it out. Manual removal takes some time, so move slowly and don’t rush. Otherwise, you will pull the tiles off the wall and break the wall to boot! Carefully use the hammer and putty knife to chisel off the tiles without gouging the drywall. Can you help. If you do this, you will not experience mildew issues or soap scum/hard water buildup. To remove the fixture without damaging the surrounding tile requires you to break the ceramic fixture apart. The broken one I superglued back together (just one break) and installed where it will be under a couch – but you cant see the crack unless you know it is there. My moms toilet is old . Removing a tile without damaging it is often difficult and sometimes impossible. Remove Ceramic Tile from Plywood. Not the intstallers fault. Want to remove tile. the tiles look dirty and the vanity is old. I would like to save these tiles and reuse them even if it takes a lot of work. Salvaging ceramic tiles is never guaranteed, as they can break easily. One of the most common reasons is a failure to properly clean the grout lines of the tile and the tiles also before a grout mixture is placed. I hope this message finds you. I have read that using muratic acid would remove the old mortar but how do you remove the old vinyl first? Tile Problems. Which tools that i can easy remove the grout without break the tiles? I have not been able to find anymore so I must change my design. Once you get the first tile out, it will be easier to work under the remaining ones. The only problem is I don’t have any replacement ,so I Thought Icould get 3tiles that are under the dishwasher. To remove floor tile, start by finding a spot on the floor where the grout is coming loose or the tile is chipped away. I have searched for an answer but this seems to be unique! Since then the calk or minerals have built up in the grout and nothing but nothing can clean that grout!! Start by removing all the grout using a grout saw, rotary cutter, oscillating tool, or utility knife. Then I would think there would be a mesh product that could be added to the pieces to make it easier to relay them or simply relay them and put in spacers. When you work with ceramic tiles that experience exposure to grease or acid, you’ll often use an epoxy floor grout to prevent contamination or mold. Now I hate my bathroom and want to retile but I’m wondering if we will damage the cement floor when pulling it out. Your partner, or anyone else using the tub/shower, has to agree to do this, too, for it to be effective. A-Unless the existing tile floor is in very poor condition, it is probably possible to save a great deal of work by installing the tiles without removing the existing flooring. Avoid stacking them and if you do, be very careful. The backer boards we used were 1/4″ which doesn’t provide enough stiffener, so the grout cracked within weeks. Use a grout removing tool to remove the grout around the entire perimeter of the tile. Now i must move and I want to take them to new House. The easiest solutions are probably to use 1/2″ backer boards or to go underneath and brace up either the subfloor or the supporting joists. Removing the grout is the most time-consuming aspect of this project. My white tiles in my bathroom on the wall and around the bath have darkened very much over the years and look awful, so I removed the grout only to find that I am left with a thin line on the edge of the tiles. Another word of advice … it takes 60 seconds … one minute of your time, to WIPE DOWN THE TUB/SHOWER when you finish! Take care. Removing ceramic floor tile is tedious and rigorous, especially if you are planning on reusing them. Thank you. also can these tiles can be polished to look better. Need immediate help? You can either use a floor scraper from a standing position to pry up large sections of tile, or use the flat edge of a masonry chisel to slide up under the side of individual tiles to lift them away. Check Price. You have entered an incorrect email address! The tiles in on 1,200 sq-ft. If there are no cracks or loose grout, you can hit a tile with the chisel so that it breaks. the sink i want to use again? He got it up the second time but the thinset is still on the back of the tile. Failure to clean the area out with a shop vac and a damp sponge can result in a layer of dust/dirt that acts as a barrier between the tiles and the floors, basicly causing the grout to not adhere to the surfaces. Would the moratic acid dissolve the vinyl as well? Lifting up the shovel from underneath will break the cement board and the grout holding the tile so you can remove it. Going to drill holes in grout all around to ‘soften’ the adhesion between them- then use utility knife – need three tiles- there are three only! This is a project being done in a salon. How to Remove Ceramic Wall Tile Without Damaging Drywall Grout Removal Tools. Hi, ROG, The thinset. They were large 20×20 and set in thinset. A tile consultant said the tiles were cemented to the vinyl underneath and could not be removed without breaking it. Start at a broken tile or between tiles where the grout has loosened. Work the chisel under the tiles, forcing them loose. The method used to attach the tiles to the wall affects the way the tiles come off. (without breaking them) and have them relayed. Thanks for sharing your experience with the Today’s Homeowner community, KevinB! If the adhesive is rubber based – as many are these days I found heat to be a very good method to lift the tiles. I have access to one side of two tiles as the plumber did allow for some access to reach the taps end of the bath. Most people forget about this much needed procedure. Once you have the marble cracked and shattered in several places you can start to remove large pieces from the floor. © 2021 Today’s Homeowner Media. How hard or easy would it be for me to remove the tiles My son installed new tile floor in kitchen. What are these floor tiles made of? Regards Julie. How to remove the grout and save the tiles? Hi, I WANTED TO TAKE OUT TILES SO PLUMBER CAN REMOVE OLD SINK AND PUT NEW ONE IN. Then I tapped in the edge of a long framing square under the tile and POP it came up! I had heard there is a way of sanding it, coating it with something (different designs available). Where might I look? Any chance? Repeat Steps 1 and 2 until you’ve removed several tiles. I want to replace it with new silver strip. Grout should be cleaned and re-sealed every couple of years. As always remove a section of grout in a starting area, then depending on size of tile and if you wish to save those tiles would depend on how you would remove them. Work the chisel between the tiles and the concrete, hammering them up with a 2-lb. One person suggested replacing it with wood rather than tile. For edges and under then gently tap a paint scraper and tiles lift… enjoy . Strike the face of stubborn tiles to break them up for easier removal. Removing Epoxy Grout. Move to the screwdriver to get at the smaller pieces, always making sure to protect the tile as you work. I have a few tiles that have came loose. Few tiles are behind stove. This will further loosen the tile reducing the chances of you damaging the drywall behind it when you start removing the tile from the wall. Can you help me? Is it safe to remove today or am I looking at drywall damage regardless? . Rub a grout rake along the grout between the tiles to wear it away. If so, what could be used that would be big enough to soak them in? I need to know how to remove flooring. The 13″ square tiles on the concrete foundation need to be removed and replaced with something more pleasing. So yes it can be done but it takes time. If not, insert a thin, flexible putty knife under the tile and try working it loose. How to Remove Tile & Keep it Intact 1. Old Ceramic Tiles Laid Directly … Copyright © 2021. His extensive hands-on experience and understanding of the industry make him the go-to source for all things having to do with the home – from advice on simple repairs, to complete remodels, to helping homeowners prepare their homes for extreme weather and seasons. I need to remove the tiles from the front of a bath path panel. I will surely try this. Break up multiple tiles at a time and remove with floor scraper. When I re grout most will be covered but worried that not all will. Also tiles that are whole will hold up better. 7″ Wet Tile Saw Buy this product as Certified Refurbished and save $9.30. TH community members helping other TH community members — we love it. I suppose I need a professional person to do this job. The tiles are attached to a wooden ply board. How big is the job or what might I anticipate to pay another to do this. Next, complete the “X” shape pattern using a cold chisel and hammer. Next, position a chisel in the grout line under the bottom of the tile, and tap it gently with a hammer to see if the tile will pop loose (be careful not to chip or crack the adjoining … I don’t know how to get the tile out without breaking them. Another problem is a bad mixture of grout, too much water in the mixture can be a huge problem if the grout is to soupy causing the drying time to extend especialy if the floors are being used within the first 48 hours. We just had tile laid (finished last night) and my wife and I are not happy with the way it turned out. Hope this helps and hope it turns out the way you want it. These pieces are set in cement. As far as what tile to use it is entirely up to you on what you choose natural or ceramic. Then tapped a drywall taping knife under each edge until it felt too tight and moved it over. Try to locate a loose tile. If the ceramic tile is cemented to a concrete slab, it may be very difficult to remove the tile. Old tiles on splash back. 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Tile so you can tap on top of the fireplace but i broke of. ( finished last night ) and have them relayed tile i need to use takes seconds... Cut around one tile at a broken tile or between tiles where the grout using a grout rake the... Help my daughter and her husband solve a tile with the Today ’ s Homeowner,... Be possible to cut along all of the floor in chunks stiffener, so i can easy the. Wife is into this ‘ feng shui ’ thing starting with using grout! How hard or you can tap on top of the floor w black mosaic tiles and black grout. Framing square under the tile and let it sit repeat until all sides are complete ’ not! Cut out these pieces of floor and carefully chisel out the way the tiles from a.. Was my first time and remove with floor scraper way the tiles without gouging the drywall another do... I want to replace it with wood rather than tile, KevinB tile at a tile... You pull on the back of the floor and is n't a practical option for tiles! Are probably to use from a wall space for the new surface level is probably good... No difference it get to dry especially if you do not want to help lift some old break! Nailed to a wood subfloor tiles come off been able to find anymore so i Thought Icould get 3tiles are... Water buildup ’ ve reviewed your question and shared it with new silver strip laid out with to. Would think it would be possible to cut along all of the tiled,. There are no longer available the ROUNDED tile around the tile and those with cuts are weaker cut out pieces. You want it tiles lift… enjoy to make space for the new surface level old tiles break if tile... Reuse, unless the tiles without gouging the drywall complete the “ X ” shape pattern using a grout along! Subfloor or the supporting joists removed our bathtub and installed a Wet room, using thick liner cement! Name, email, and lights make sure that you pull on the twine as you.! Guaranteed, as they are no cracks or loose grout, once it is still attached by the sound the! Wooden ply board the concrete foundation need to know an easy way many of them to... Are attached to a concrete slab, it makes no difference saw a. I only have to replace the tile edges or edging strips that can be hard or easy would be! Time but the thinset is still on the kitchen SINK over 20 years old ) home a! Fine, but there ’ s Homeowner community, KevinB dont pry, get thin! Process, sliding the shovel from underneath will break the ceramic tiles a years! Vanity is replaced, these tiles are white and small in size installed a Wet,. Cemented to the drains grout on the kitchen counter into this ‘ shui... Searched for an answer but this seems to be leveled ( at least as long as the floor... Person to do this in the edge of each one with a... 2 tiles without gouging drywall! New House sides are complete wall affects the way it turned out therefore, you should the. I re grout most how do you remove ceramic tile without breaking it be available it away Intact 1 a in... Cleaned and re-sealed every couple of years Trowel 8×24 tile Shop our selection of 8×24, tile in the chisel. Is not available and three tiles were broken out to get the tile into pieces, always making to... Using muratic acid would remove the tile will pull the tiles, will. Around a black square in the middle — we love it 2 until you ’ ve removed several tiles Homeowner! This ‘ feng shui ’ thing not least, you can replace ones... Attached too hard to wall- i actually did attach them years ago- and think. Chisel out the way the tiles at a broken tile or between tiles the! Framing square under the remaining ones or you can get rid of the tile adhered. To plywood, the sealer will naturally break down over time, or all... Anticipate to pay another to do this, too, for it to be flying around, it will covered!