Taking up a tile floor is one of most physically difficult projects you can undertake, so your first step should be to determine whether it's really necessary. Some types of new flooring can go right over that existing tile, which is always a better solution if possible. If not, proceed based on what kind of removal you need to do (the full floor, or just a few tiles), and what kind of underlayment you're dealing with. Always wear eye protection when removing floor tiles.
Smash and Scoop
The most direct way to take up a tile floor is to simply break up the tiles with a sledgehammer, then shovel up the shards. This approach will only work, however, if the tile is laid over wood. The force of the sledgehammer will cause the wood underneath to vibrate and move, which in turn will help break the bond of the tiles. If you don't know whether the underlayment is wood or cement board, hit at one of the grout lines enough to break out a tile and look (Always cover the floor with thick cloth tarps when breaking up tiles).
Prying or Scraping
Smashing and breaking the tiles up won't work well if the tiles are laid on cement or cement board, because those materials won't move underneath it. With cement board, you can take up the boards themselves, with the tile still on top of them. You'll have to chisel and hammer up enough of the tiles to find a seam between the cement boards, then use a crowbar to start prying them up. If the tiles are affixed directly to a concrete floor (the worst scenario in terms of removal), consider renting a vibrating floor scraper, and use it to get under the tiles.
One by One
If you're taking out just one or a few tiles because they're damaged, and you want to leave the rest in place, you'll need to approach the project carefully to avoid damaging the adjacent tiles. Use a grout saw or grout-removal bit on your drill to dig out the grout that surrounds each tile that has to come out. Once the tile has an open perimeter around it, you can set a thin chisel in there, against the base of the tile, and tap at it with a hammer. Move the chisel all around the border of the tile, tapping at different points, until it pops out.
Related posts
Tile is a water resistant, beautiful material for flooring in the bathroom.Ceramic, stone or composite tiles resist water and provide a sturdy, durable floor for your bathroom. There are many ways...
Use tiles to cover old, worn wood floor.In the past, you had to float a thick mortar bed to prepare for the tiles if you want to install them over wood floor. The new method of using cement backer...
You can easily lay a tile floor over a plywood subfloor.A plywood subfloor is a fine material on which to begin a tiling project. The use of cement backerboard beneath floor tiles has made it poss...
Removing ceramic floor tile is one of the more difficult demolition jobs you'll ever face. Those things are set there for life, generally in mortar, and if you have to break them out with a sledge...
A kitchen island can be installed over tile floor.Tile can be installed around a kitchen island in two basic ways. If the island is new and the tile floor is being newly installed, the best choice...
