Removing Ceramic Tile

One of the most difficult tasks in any home renovation project is removing ceramic tile. In fact many homeowners shy away from doing this, or they believe the only way that it can be done is to hire professionals to do the job, at a high cost -- as a result, this job just never seems to get done. Many otherwise beautiful homes are left with areas where the ceramic tile is in dire need of replacement, simply because the homeowner has decided to put off doing the job. But you don't have to do that! And we have compiled this guide to help you get the job done.

Let's Face The Facts About Removing Ceramic Tile

Let's face the truth of what we already know: removing ceramic tile is not an easy job. It is time-consuming, messy, and labor-intensive. If you have lots of it, removing ceramic tile might take you several days. So, if you are not up to the physical challenge - if you are not in good shape - then perhaps you should let a professional handle the removing ceramic tile from your home.

Before You Dive In

Before you begin your removal project, you need to decide - up front - whether you are going to try to salvage any of the tile. If you are not (which is usually the case) then removing ceramic tile will be a much simpler operation.

If, on the other hand, you believe your ceramic tile worth saving, then you cannot just go and smash up everything. In these cases you should consider removing the wall or flooring material that the tile is attached TO, rather than trying to remove ceramic tile FROM, that material. This can be a complicated operation, so you may want to have a pro handle this for you.

An additional strategy may be to use modern technology. You can remove ceramic tile by the application of heat. Using this process, removing ceramic tile is accomplished by heating the tiles to a temperature sufficient to melt the adhesive that holds it on the wall, thereby making removal easier. Personally, I believe that doing this is best left to a professional, but if these units are available for rental at your local DIY center, you can give it a whirl if you like.

Safety Precautions

If you are going to be removing ceramic tile the old-fashioned way (by using force), then you will need to take a few safety precautions. You will need to make sure that you use sturdy safety goggles, as tile chips can fly off and could hit you in the face, or become embedded in your eyes. Of course you should not even consider removing ceramic tile in your bare feet, or while wearing flip-flops or sandals, as you don't want to cut your feet on any tile shards.

Since a fair amount of dust will be generated when you are removing ceramic tile, you will need to wear a mask to keep from breathing in this dust. This dust can contain silica and asbestos, so you certainly don't want to breathe it in.

If you will be removing ceramic tile from a wall, it is a good idea to put a cloth on the floor where you will be working. The tile pieces will fall to the floor as you work, and you don't want to scratch up hardwood flooring, or get tile chips or dust in the carpets.

Tile Removal

If you are going to simply demolish the old tile, you can use an electric chipper or chisel to make the job easier. When you are removing ceramic tile the thing you DON'T want to do is to mark, mar, or otherwise harm any surfaces underlying the tile - like brickwork, wall boards, or sub-flooring. If you do, those surfaces will have to be repaired before you can put new tile in.

Removing ceramic tile also involves proper clean-up. You will need to gather up all the tile and grout pieces and dispose of them. Then you should take a good sponge, dampen it with water, and run it over the surface of the wall or floor, to get up any dust remnants. This is especially important to do if you will be applying any sort of adhesive later on, as the dust will interfere with the adhesive, and the new tiles will not bond properly to it. When the surface is dry, then inspect it for any damage.