How to Demo Tile
Removing a tile floor can be frustrating for homeowners. Correctly installed, tile flooring is difficult to remove. However, with a little bit of elbow grease homeowners can clear away old and worn tile, making way for new tile or wood floors. Knowing how to start can help. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Safety goggles
- Gloves
- Close-toe shoes
- Long-sleeve shirt
- Long pants
- Dust mask
- Plastic drop cloths
- Painters tape
- Chisel or demolition hammer
- Hammer
- Shop vacuum
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Instructions
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Take necessary safety precautions. This should include wearing safety goggles, gloves, closed-toe shoes, long sleeves, long pants and a dust mask.
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Protect the area from the rest of the home. Tape plastic drop cloths over doorways and other openings with painter's tape.
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Use a chisel and hammer (or demolition hammer) to chip away at the grout lines in the tile. This is the first place you should try to demo as it will weaken the tile job. First chisel straight into the grout line. Once you have begun, turn the chisel onto a 60 degree angle and continue chipping away at the grout line.
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Place the chisel on the floor, close to the tile. Gently hammer the chisel, so it works its way underneath the tile. The tile should "pop" when this is done. However, if it does not, simply keep chiseling away at the tile until it is completely removed. Do this with the entire tile floor.
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Clear away the larger pieces of tile and mortar. Once the larger pieces have been cleared, use a shop vacuum to clear away the smaller pieces of mortar and tile as well as any dust on the floor. Cleaning the floor surface will allow you to see areas that may need more work with the chisel.
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References
- Photo Credit Tiled floor image by Simon Amberly from Fotolia.com
