Do you have the muscle power to remove old floor tiles? Never fear, in our latest blog we provide all the advice you need to remove floor tiles in no time at all, including a handy tool checklist and tips before you start…
What do I need?
- Gloves
- Safety goggles
- Dust mask
- Dust sheet
- Hammer
- Chisel
- Scraper
Before you start
Removing floor tiles can be a very dusty and messy job. To protect your eyes and chest, wear safety goggles and a dust mask.
Also, place a dust sheet over any surfaces that you would like to protect. The dust can get everywhere so make sure the room you are working in has good ventilation too, such as an open window. You should also consider taping off your work area with plastic sheeting to prevent dust from spreading throughout your home.
How to remove floor tiles?
The first tile that you remove will always be the hardest. This is because grouting prevents you from easily accessing the side of the tile. To begin, choose a tile that is easily accessible – a doorway, for example. Using a hammer, break the tile along the grout line. Be careful when you do this, as some tiles – such as porcelain – can be extra sharp and pieces of tile can fly about. Therefore, it is essential to wear safety goggles/glasses.
Once you have broken up the grout line with the hammer, check if any tiles have come loose. Any loose tiles will be easier to remove. If there is a loose tile, use your hammer and chisel to prize the tile. If you cannot find a lose tile along the grout line, you may have to break the tile. You can do this with your hammer and chisel, hitting the centre of the tile. By shattering the tile, you can remove the tile piece by piece. This will then give you easy access to other tiles.
To remove more tiles, take your chisel and place it flat on the floor with the point of the chisel underneath the tile. Take your hammer and tap the chisel. Pull the chisel towards you. This should loosen the tile, prying it from the floor. Alternatively, you could use an air hammer with a chisel set.
Be careful to only use enough force to loosen the floor, as you do not want to damage the surface underneath. Once you have removed lots of tiles, you can use a floor scraper to remove all tile remnants. A hammer and chisel can be used further to remove all signs of grout and tile adhesive or you can use a sander to smooth the surface. This is important, especially if you are planning to retile your floor.
It is important to remember that when you get closer to walls, skirting boards or cabinets to use a hammer and chisel, rather than a power tool, to avoid damaging other surfaces. Furthermore, if you are having trouble removing adhesive from your floor consider using a heat gun and a scraper.
If you follow these simple steps, you will remove your floor tiles in no time at all and will soon be able to lay a new and stylish floor.
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