How to remove tiles from the floor

Tile is a very popular floor covering. It does not require special care, is practical, strong and durable. However, situations often arise when it is necessary to dismantle it. For example, to install or repair a “warm floor” system, repair damage that occurred during operation, or simply replace the coating.

You can carry out dismantling work yourself, you just need to follow the recommendations.

Materials and tools for removing tiles

Before carrying out dismantling work, preparatory procedures should be carried out. Necessary Prepare all the materials that will be needed to remove the tiles.

• Hammer, drill, screwdriver.
• Hammer.
• Chisel.
• Spray bottle, container with water.
• Putty knife.

In addition to preparing the tools, you should prepare the surface and find out a few nuances. How dismantling will be done depends on this.

Preparing for work

• Necessary find out where communications take placeso as not to damage them.
• Availability of a “warm floor” system may affect the progress of work. If there is one, you should know the thickness of the screed. The tool with which the tiles will be knocked down depends on this value.
• Necessary prepare personal protective equipment.
• Doorway premises where dismantling work will be carried out, it is necessary cover with a wet cloth or film!

IMPORTANT! During all stages of work, all safety requirements must be observed;

Removing tiles

When all preparatory activities have been completed, you should proceed to removing the tiles. It's possible do it in several ways.

Work options

• Chisel, chisel and hammer.
• Hammer or drill.
• Wire staples.

Let's take a closer look at how to dismantle it.

How to remove old tiles by hand

If the product is laid on a concrete base, and glue was used as a fixing solution, then you can work with a hammer and chisel. This is a more accurate method of dismantling, allowing you to preserve the tiles if necessary.

Tile removal is carried out as follows.

• The seams need to be moistened with water..
• When the grout becomes soft, it is cleaned with a spatula or scraper. If the grout is made of cement, it should be removed with a grinder.

ADVICE! If you need to preserve the tile, you need to glue its edges with masking tape in several layers.

• The chisel is inserted into the seams between the products and gently tapped with a hammer. Thus, you need to knock off the entire coating.
• After the tile is completely removed, you need to put it in water. This will make it much easier to remove any glue that remains on the product.

You can also carefully remove the tiles from the floor wire, which needs to be given a U-shape.

• The seams must be thoroughly wetted, and when the grout becomes soft, remove it.
• The staples must be carefully placed under the tile on two opposite sides and pulled.

This is a very fast and fairly gentle way to remove tiles. If high-quality materials were used during installation, the product will not be damaged during dismantling.

How to remove tiles using a hammer drill

To remove the product with a hammer drill, you should use a special attachment. It is a wide blade.

REFERENCE. This dismantling option is very noisy and dusty, but it is also the fastest. But the tile will be completely destroyed.

• To make dismantling easier, you should first clean the seams with a grinder. Accuracy is not required here.
• You need to put the attachment on the hammer drill and turn on the appropriate mode. Most often this is the “Gritching” mode.
• The nozzle is placed under the edges of the tile and the element is removed.

This is a quick way and the work time will depend only on the coverage area.

IMPORTANT! When working with a hammer drill, you should use goggles and a respirator!

After the tiles have been removed, need to remove adhesive and cement. The tiles need to be immersed in a container of water for several hours. When the solution becomes soft, remove it with a spatula and sand off the remaining residue.

If the product was seated on cement, then it is worth using salt. It loosens the cement and makes it easier to remove. There are also special compounds on sale for such work.

Tips for removing tiles

• The dismantling process is quite labor-intensive. The main thing when carrying out work is to accurately follow all recommendations.
• A prerequisite is the presence of a hammer drill. It can significantly speed up the progress of work.
• Don’t forget about pipes and electrical wiring, as well as personal protective equipment;

If you follow simple rules, you will be able to carry out dismantling work yourself, without having any special construction skills.