How to remove tiles from a wall. How to remove tiles from a wall without damaging them. Removing tiles from the floor

Before starting repairs to restore the surface of the walls and floors, it is necessary to remove old tile. However, it is often necessary to leave the tiles for reinstallation. Many people pick up a hammer drill and destroy everything that falls under the shock wave of the device, and many believe that the tiles should be removed carefully and try not to damage them during dismantling, especially if the tiles are of high quality. So let's look at a few answers to the question: "How to carefully remove tiles without breaking them?" and see photos and videos.

Tools

First, you need to arm yourself with the following tools:

• Safety glasses to prevent dust from getting into your eyes;
• Mask or bandage to prevent respiratory tract contamination;
• Putty knife;
• Chisel;
• Hammer;
• Mittens;
• Grout scraper;
• Drill 6 mm;
• Drill.

However, this list does not include a hammer drill, because working with it increases the chance of breaking the tiles. And even if you manage to separate it from the wall, it will definitely break on the floor when it falls.

Advice. Even if something doesn’t work out for you, there’s nothing wrong with that. Remember that not all the tiles will remain intact, and still 5-10% of the tiles will be damaged.

Tools for removing tiles

Agree, anyone can break tiles and collect crumbs on the floor. It is also easy to damage the structure of the tile itself, so that it no longer looks the way it should. So, we set ourselves the task of leaving as much material as possible unharmed.

Tile analysis

The quality of our work will depend on four main factors:

• Quality of tile laying;
• Grout composition;
• Composition of adhesive composition;
• Age of ceramics.

When dismantling, two main problems may arise - tightly laid tiles and old tiles. In both cases, even if the dismantling work is carried out correctly, the probability of failure is high.

Stages of tile removal work

• The first thing to do is to put on a bandage, mask and gloves to protect against sharp pieces of tiles, dust and crumbs that contaminate the mucous membranes of the eyes and Airways;
• Then you need to clean the tile seams. Each seam should be practically free of grout;

Advice. To loosen the tile, you can drill a small hole in it. Most likely, you won’t be able to save the first tile, but you will completely protect yourself from breaking the entire structure at once.

• Start removing tiles and be sure to start from the top row. Tiles can sometimes come off in layers, and you won't be able to predict exactly how many pieces might suddenly fall off. You should also think about ensuring that sharp debris does not harm the health of the master.
• It is necessary to smash the first tile into smithereens and drive the tool with light and careful blows under the one next to it on the side.

Advice. As soon as you notice that the tile does not respond to hammer blows on the chisel and does not move away from the adhesive or cement base, then you should try to detach the tile using a tool from the other side. Should not be applied strong blows with a chisel, because there is a chance that you will not only complete your task, but also damage the wall.

What should be done to preserve the original appearance of the tiles?

Damaging tiles is a simple matter, and we will present you with a sequence of actions for carefully removing tiles:

• Clean the grout. If that doesn’t work, then we’ll use water. We spray it, wait a little - 5-10 minutes and spray again. After this, the grout will clean up a little better;
• Replace the chisel with a chisel or spatula. When using such materials, the tiles will not crack, but you should be extremely careful;
• As soon as two-thirds of the work is completed, the most difficult stage begins - previously the wall was a solid structure, and now the remaining elements weakly hold each other.

How to remove tiles from the floor without breaking them?

Of course, it is much easier to remove tiles from the floor, because you don’t need to hold them - they won’t fall. However, to dismantle floor tiles- not the best simple task, in which a hammer drill should not be used, because it will split each piece of tile into several parts.
Technique for carefully removing tiles from the floor:

Advice. Grout on floor tiles is several times worse to clean than on wall tiles, so doing some tricky things with water will be mandatory here.

In order to clean the grout, you need to use a scraper and carefully move it until the cement base is visible. Then you need to take a chisel and start tapping along the perimeter of each tile. As the sound becomes duller, find the point where the property is most pronounced.

Advice. Turn off all appliances and listen carefully to the tiles. Be sure to correctly determine which part of the tile the sound is coming from - from the left or from the right in relation to the instrument.

When the tile starts to come off from the place you found, you should lightly hit the chisel with a hammer here and carefully remove the tile - it will come off easily. All that remains is to clean the mortar on which the tiles were lying, and the floor will again be ready for a new coating.
In fact, removing tiles from walls and floors carefully so that they can be used later is not that difficult. You just need to follow the recommendations and act with extreme caution.

It is easiest to free the walls from old tiles without worrying about their safety. It is much more difficult to remove tiles in the bathroom so that they can be reused - in the same or another room.

Where to start dismantling, what method of removing tiles to choose, how to take care of the safety of the process?

All the nuances and useful tips we have collected in this material.

Assessment of the quality of old coating

The duration and complexity of dismantling will directly depend on the quality and method of laying the old tiles. Therefore, first you need to evaluate the previous coating and find out what products were used for installation. If the tiles were laid with an adhesive composition, then there should be no difficulties with removal.

If you make every effort, you will be able to keep all the elements intact.

If the tiles were set on cement mortar, you will have to tinker - you cannot do it without special equipment and certain skills. The overall dismantling process will take much longer, and the chances of saving the entire tile are minimal.

Advice! To understand how firmly the tile adheres to the base, you can try tapping it with a rubber hammer or the handle of a spatula. A dull sound upon impact will be a sign of voids in the base.

Preparing for the dismantling process

Dismantling tiles is certainly accompanied by increased dust levels and large accumulations of debris and waste. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to take care of the safety of the premises and minimize the damage that unforeseen situations may lead to.

It is recommended to cover the floor with plastic film or any other material intended for construction work. Soft cloth you need to wrap the plumbing. Wall items that cannot be removed can be hung or wrapped in rags.

Don't forget about the respirator!

Preparing tools and materials

As a rule, dismantling work does not require complex “exotic” tools - almost all of them can be found in the arsenal of a home craftsman.

What exactly you will need:

• two hammers - one medium and the second heavier;
• several spatulas - it is better to choose devices with a narrow but durable blade;
• chisel - for working with the space between tiles;
• construction knife with a set of interchangeable blades;
• chisel - will become a basic tool;
• a screwdriver with a special handle designed for striking.

If you plan to work with tiles laid on cement mortar, a grinder and a hammer drill may be useful.

For hard-to-reach areas, you need to select attachments for the hammer drill in the form of a chisel, bit, drill or pick.

Dismantling work will be carried out faster if you are well prepared for:

• moisten the space between the tiles around the entire perimeter with warm water and soap - it is most convenient to use a foam sponge for this purpose;
• when the contents of the seams become soft and plastic, the old grout can be removed by scraping it out with a thin spatula, knife or chisel;
• After removing the grout, the edges of the seams are treated with a special brush mounted on a household drill.

If you can’t find a nozzle for sanding the seams, you can treat them again with soapy water, removing any remaining grout.

Dismantling process

The choice of dismantling method will depend on two factors: what material the previous cladding was installed on, and how urgent the need is to keep the tile intact.

How to remove tiles without damaging them

The tiles that were secured with special glue will most likely remain intact. It is recommended to start work by tapping - this will help to identify places where there are voids and where the tiles are weak.

These areas should be dismantled first - this way the work will go faster and a sudden collapse of the whole piece will be avoided.

Advice! If “weak” spots and voids are not found in the cladding, dismantling begins from the top row of masonry.

Using a hammer and chisel

Dismantling with a chisel is universal and reliable way, allowing, with certain skill, to partially preserve intact ceramic products. But to do this, you need to “feel” the tool, find the angle at which it will best pry the tile.

As a rule, the optimal angle is 45° - in this case, the chisel will act as a spacer between the plane of the wall and the tile.

The chisel is inserted between two horizontal rows so that it is possible to pry off the top tile. First, make a notch in the center of the tile end, then on the left and right sides at the edges.

When the recesses are ready, the chisel can again be slipped into the central part of the tile - the tile should come off.

If you fail to remove the facing element the first time, you will have to help yourself with a hammer. They hit the chisel several times, each time increasing the force of the blow and trying to break the tiles off the wall.

If the tile does break, it should be cut diagonally with a tile cutter and safely removed with a power tool.

Hammer

The use of a hammer drill significantly speeds up the dismantling process. However, in this case you will have to forget about the safety of the tiles - the coating is removed once and for all. From the nozzles, it is best to choose a chisel - this way the tool will work in a similar way to the previous method.

After turning on the hammer drill, the nozzle is gradually driven into the gap between the tile and the wall.

By adjusting the speed of rotation of the nozzle, you can more accurately calculate the impact force without damaging the wall.

Using metal hooks

Even the most convenient and modern hammer drill will not help if you have to dismantle it in inaccessible places. Metal hooks prepared with your own hands, bent in the letter P, will help you cope with the task.

Advice! You can make hooks from old knitting needles, strong wire and even old thin screwdrivers.

Dismantling is carried out after the joint grout has been soaked and removed. One edge of the hook is slipped under the bottom of the tile, and the edge of the second hook is placed under the top. By pulling the hooks towards you, you can easily break off the element and even leave it intact.

But this method is only good for adhesive, high-quality laid cladding.

It's just general principles working with ceramic tiles. But it is necessary to take into account some nuances regarding the type of base coat and the pitfalls of the dismantling process.

Off the wall

When removing tiles from a wall, the most important thing is to follow the direction of movement. Masters advise dismantling with a hammer drill from left to right and from top to bottom. But if the work is carried out manually with a chisel and hammer, they move from right to left, starting from the first row.

This principle is relevant for right-handed masters. Lefties should act in a mirror manner - from left to right, but in any case the top row will start.

Work is carried out especially carefully with mirror tiles - they are more susceptible to damage and leave behind sharp fragments.

From the floor

Floor tiles are usually thicker than wall tiles, which is accompanied by a number of difficulties in removing them. Dismantling work can be carried out in two ways, described above - with a chisel or a hammer drill.

If the base is cement, and the ceramics need to be left intact, use a grinder with a stone disc.

Using a disk, cut the seams to the base, clean and rinse them with water. Then, using a chisel with a wide blade and a hammer, tap the tiles around the entire perimeter, trying to pry and lift each tile.

If the tiles are installed with glue, a regular spatula dipped in water will help. The adhesive layer is scratched around the entire perimeter with a spatula, and the tile is pryed off from below.

Advice! To protect the edges of adjacent tiles from chips and damage, they can be glued in several layers with masking tape.

From a plasterboard wall

A plasterboard wall is an ideal surface for tiling due to its high adhesion ability. But with dismantling there are enormous difficulties. Sometimes the tiles on a plasterboard wall are held so tightly that they have to be removed along with the partition.

The only exception is when the plasterboard sheet has been plastered.

1. Completely free the seam from the putty with a spatula or knife.
2. It is good to wet the adhesive mixture or solution with a sponge and soapy water.
3. Pry up the ceramic with a chisel and carefully chip it together with the plaster.
4. Clean the remaining base with a scraper, prime and putty.

If the tile does not lend itself to a chisel, the seam can be cut with a grinder at an angle of 45° to the center of the tile. In this case, the depth of the cut should be a couple of millimeters greater than the thickness of the tile.

At the moment of cutting, it is better to use an assistant who will hold a vacuum cleaner that will suck up flying debris.

Replacing multiple items

Removing one or more tiles may be necessary when repairs of communications, replacement of taps or wiring are required. It is very important here to maintain the integrity of the tiles - after all, choosing a new tone-on-tone can be difficult. Dismantling can only be done with a chisel - a hammer drill or grinder will not work.

The seams must be cleaned of grout and moistened with soapy water. You need to pry the tile with a chisel (spatula) from all sides until it begins to move away from the coating. Another option is to use metal hooks, the same ones used for hard-to-reach areas.

Important! When dismantling with hooks, the force must be applied perpendicular to the wall.

Particularly difficult cases

Particularly difficult cases include work:

• with drywall - the partition is very easy to damage even using gentle methods;
• in areas with poor access it is difficult to leave the tiles intact;
• to remove one or more tiles - high precision of manipulation is important.

For each case, it is necessary to apply an individual approach, test several methods in search of the optimal one.

You need to work very carefully in areas where communications pass through - pipes and electrical wiring.

Safety precautions

How to carry out dismantling work safely:

• wear a protective suit, shoes with anti-slip soles, thick gloves, a respirator and construction glasses;
• de-energize the room, cover communication pipes with plywood;
• It is prohibited to use any power tools in areas with communications;
• make sure that power tools are in good working order and that the housing prevents electric shock;
• There should be no unauthorized persons in the bathroom without protective equipment;
• close the door to the room tightly - if there is no door, the opening can be covered with a wet cloth.

Neglecting safety precautions can be dangerous to health and even life!

How to remove mortar and glue residues from the surface?

After dismantling, you need to remove any remaining adhesive not only from the surface of the wall, but also from the back of the tile. To ensure that the glue comes away from the surface well, it is recommended to immerse the tiles in water for several hours.

If there are a lot of tiles, and cement mortar was used for installation, the easiest way is to use a grinder equipped with a special attachment.

The work will be dusty, so it is better to carry it out outdoors.

You can also remove mortar or glue from the wall with a grinder. An alternative to a grinder is a hammer drill or scraper.

In any case, cleaning cannot be carried out dry - the surface must be abundantly moistened with water. Final cleaning is carried out with a wire brush.

It is not necessary to peel off the thin adhesive layer - it will be enough to prime the wall and smooth out any unevenness with putty or a thin layer of plaster. And finally, one more piece of advice: you can remove tiles in the bathroom efficiently and accurately only if you are not in a hurry.

The more carefully all the work is planned, the higher the concentration of attention at key moments, the more successful the dismantling will be.

Overview of methods

Ceramic tiles are, without exaggeration, the most common bathroom finishing option. It is durable and not subject to destruction under the influence of water. Since ceramics has virtually no thermal expansion, it can easily withstand any temperature changes. It is also not susceptible to various chemicals such as detergents for cleaning surfaces or cosmetics. No matter how good it is, after some time it is necessary to dismantle the tiles.

The reasons may be different: from a simple desire to change the interior to the need to replace all the tiles due to damage to several. Removing tiles in the bathroom is a rather labor-intensive process. You will have to be patient.

Is it possible to dismantle old tiles for further use?

It often happens that most or almost all of the tiles are very well preserved. It’s a shame to throw it away, especially when you’ve already found a worthy use for it. With patience and a small set of tools, you can save most of the tiles intact and reuse them. Unfortunately, you won't be able to save all the tiles. Many tiles can crack or splinter when removed.

One of the very important points dismantling tiles - remember that communications may pass under the finishing: pipeline or electrical wiring. Inattentive or aggressive dismantling can easily cause flooding of neighbors below or result in an accident.

Another unpleasant nuance can be dust and fragments of tile adhesive, grout or the tile itself. It is not recommended to breathe heavy cement dust. You will need a mask or respirator, safety glasses, reliable clothing, gloves and boots. It is also recommended to dismantle the tiles before starting major repairs, as dust can easily damage finishing and walls and floors in other rooms.

Choosing a work method

The method of dismantling old tiles depends on two things: the composition with which they are glued and the desire to reuse them. If the tiles were glued to cement and the joints between the tiles were grouted with cement, then there is very little chance of saving the tiles.

Dismantling wall and floor tiles in case of an attempt to leave the tile intact for further use begins in the same way - remove the grout from the joints between the tiles. The grout is soaked with water and removed with a knife or spatula. Sometimes you have to remove the grout in several stages, generously wetting the tile joints between stages. This method will work if the grout is soft.

When using cement-based grout, wetting will not help. Here you will have to arm yourself with a small grinder and a disc for working with stone. You will have to completely clean all the seams between the tiles and try not to touch the tiles. In this case, it is advisable to make the cutting depth slightly larger than the height of the tile. This moment will reduce the possibility of corners chipping. There will be little chance of preserving the tiles even if the tiles were laid on cement mortar.

For accurate dismantling, we will need an iron spatula, or a thin chisel and a small hammer. You need to place a chisel or putty knife under the bottom edge of the tile and start tapping it with a hammer. You should be careful after you start moving the tiles if they do not all come off at once. You need to move the spatula or chisel under the other edge of the tile and continue tapping. And in this way we gradually go down. Row after row.

Floor tiles are removed in a similar way. IN in this case it doesn't really matter which side you start from.

To dismantle floor tiles, you can make a simple device that will greatly simplify and speed up the process: you need to find a piece of steel wire and bend the hooks at its ends. We grab the tile with these hooks and begin to pull.

Depending on the adhesive or tile, such a simple device can significantly reduce dismantling time, and the percentage of intact tiles can be higher. Although, when gluing tiles not with glue, but with cement mortar, this method is unlikely to work.

After dismantling, the entire tile must be processed to remove any remaining glue or cement. Here the choice of tool again depends on what the tile was glued to. If the glue is not very hard, then you can do it with a regular metal spatula. If you come across a hard one glue mixture or cement, you will have to remove the composition with an emery stone.

Be careful, because the chance of splitting the tiles when removing residual adhesive will be much higher than when dismantling them from the surface.

In cases where the old tile is of no value or the chances of dismantling it in its entirety are almost zero, we use less gentle methods. The easiest way is to break the tile with a hammer and chip off the remaining fragments with a chisel. Using a hammer drill will significantly speed up the work. When working with a hammer drill, you must wear safety glasses, because pieces of tiles and glue flying in different directions can damage your eyes.

New tiles over old cladding

Let's consider the option when we simply do not want to remove the old tile, but try to lay a new one directly on it. Such options exist, but this method has many nuances.

Floor finishing. First, you need to very carefully inspect the tile for cracks in the tile itself or in the joint between the tiles, and also eliminate all bulges and voids. It is necessary to clean the tiles not only from dust, but also from traces of grease or any other dirt. After cleaning, a primer coat must be applied. We cannot do without this, because we need to get not only good adhesion, but also uniform absorption, which the smooth surface of the tile cannot provide us with.

The primer composition must be selected from those intended for weakly absorbent substrates.

The next step is to level the surface. To do this, you can use a self-leveling composition, but you need to choose it on a cement base. You can proceed to the next steps only after the layer has completely dried.

It's time to waterproof. This stage may seem completely unnecessary, because we already have enough layers capable of retaining moisture, and even a layer of old tiles. However, old tiles are unlikely to guarantee good waterproofing, because during its operation the tiles or seams could crack, and cracks invisible to the eye will allow moisture to pass through. In addition, waterproofing is perhaps the least costly step, which, in turn, will prevent the appearance of mold.

It is also advisable to use a rubberized tape. It is laid out around the perimeter of the room so that half is on the wall and the other half is on the floor. Next is standard tile laying.

Wall decoration. But few people recommend gluing tiles over old ones on the walls, and there are reasons for this. Modern adhesive compositions are capable of creating very good adhesion, but we cannot say the same about the composition on which the old tiles were glued. In any case, the first thing to do is to dismantle the tiles, which we may suspect are not firmly attached. A rubber mallet works well for this. By tapping the tiles, we will be able to hear or see the tiles that need to be removed.

After dismantling everything that could fall off under the weight of the old tiles, it is necessary to prepare the surface for tiling. There are several options: from simple degreasing to complete removal of the glossy surface. Which one to choose is up to you. We only recommend not to skip the degreasing step.

Some craftsmen remove the layer from the tile completely, while others leave criss-cross notches with a grinder. You can use compounds such as "Concrete Contact". There is no exact universal algorithm for surface preparation - everything is decided individually based on the characteristics of the old coating and your desire.

Among those who like to make repairs with their own hands, the debate continues about how to dismantle old tiles in the bathroom. Every House master offers its own algorithm. Let's try to analyze this procedure step by step, dispel myths and offer the optimal solution.

Assessment of the quality of old coating

The dismantling process directly depends on how the old coating was laid. Cement-based mortar mixtures provide much stronger adhesion to the substrate than glue. In this case, to remove tiles from the wall, you will need a hammer drill and certain skills in working with it.

If the tiles are laid with regular glue, everything is much simpler - just a hammer and chisel. If you really want, you can save the old tiles, but to do this you will have to do everything very carefully.

Preparing for the dismantling process

Do not forget that any dismantling is always accompanied by a huge amount of dust and fragments. This is especially important in the bathroom, since modern plumbing fixtures are made from fragile materials that are easy to damage. Therefore, you need to prepare to free the walls from old tiles.

1. Cover the floor with plastic film in 2 layers.
2. We protect all fragile surfaces - bathtub, toilet, sink, etc. - with soft pads (you can wrap them in unnecessary rags, an old towel or blanket) and cover them with film.

All further work must be carried out only using personal protective equipment: a respirator, a protective suit and special glasses. Hands should be protected with gloves, and feet should be shod in closed boots with hard toes.

Dismantling process

The first thing you need to do when getting started is to find weakness in the uppermost tile on the right (for left-handed people, follow all instructions in a mirror manner). To do this, gently tap its surface with a hammer. Having found the voids, using a chisel and hammer, we break off a piece of the product.

It is advisable to tap the entire surface and dismantle areas with voids first. Otherwise, it may suddenly collapse (sometimes in entire sections).

If no voids are found, you need to cut it with a cutter. tiles diagonally, completing further dismantling with a hammer and chisel.

Once the first slab is removed, the rest of the process will be easier. Here are the step-by-step instructions.

1. Wet the seams thoroughly with a sponge dipped in warm water. Let the grout paste soak.
2. Remove the grout paste from the joints without damaging the edges (it is convenient to use a spatula or screwdriver for this). The topmost row is removed first - and so on in order to the very bottom. The more carefully this stage is carried out, the easier the further process will go.
3. The chisel is inserted into the seam between the top and next rows so that the top tile can be pryed off. It's important to feel correct angle, usually it is about 45 0. The chisel acts as a wedge between the wall and the covering. First, we try to insert a chisel and make a small notch in the wall approximately in the middle of the end of the tile, then on the left and right (closer to the edges of the product). Having made the indentations, we again insert the chisel into the middle.
4. Lifting the tile, we separate it from the wall. It doesn't always work out easily the first time. Then a hammer comes to the rescue. You need to hit the chisel several times, each time increasing the force a little. At the same time, you need to try to remove (knock off) the tiles from the wall. Sooner or later it will give in - or only a piece will break off. In the latter case, it is worth resorting to using the cutter again. We cut the remains of the old tiles diagonally and use a chisel (or, in extreme cases, a hammer drill) to finish the job.
   

   Painting tape, pasted in several layers, will protect the edges of the tile from damage, and it can be used in the future.

5. If the task is not to preserve ceramic tiles, the work can be done much faster using a hammer drill with a special attachment. In this case, it is advisable to dismantle from top to bottom and from left to right. Using a power tool significantly speeds up the process.
6. After dismantling the ceramic coating, the remaining adhesive or mortar is removed using a scraper. There are also special compounds that make this work easier.

The cleaned wall surface is treated with a deep penetration primer, and after it has dried, the surface can be used for further finishing.

Particularly difficult cases

In some cases, it is not possible to dismantle the tiles in this way. Let's take a closer look at them.

If the tile was laid directly on drywall, it will not be possible to knock it down. You will have to completely dismantle the partition. But there are situations when a plasterboard wall was first plastered, and only then a layer of tiles was laid. In this case, there is a chance to remove only the coating.

Step-by-step instruction

1. Remove grout using a knife or spatula. It is important to completely clean the seam.
   

   If you cannot clean the seam, you can lightly cut it with a grinder at an angle of 45° to the center of the tile and remove the residue with a spatula. The depth of the cut should be 1–2 mm greater than the thickness of the tile, otherwise it will crack during dismantling. The assistant at this moment turns on and holds the vacuum cleaner, which sucks up dust, preventing it from scattering throughout the room.

2. Use warm soapy water to soak the glue or cement mortar.
3. Use a chisel or chisel to pry up the tile and carefully remove it. The tile is removed along with the plaster; the remains are quickly cleaned off using a scraper.
4. Prime and putty the drywall.

Removing tiles with metal hooks

Using a chisel and hammer, much less a hammer drill, is not convenient everywhere. In hard-to-reach places, two metal staples made from old screwdrivers or knitting needles bent in a U shape will help.

Once the seams are cleaned and the surface under the tile is sufficiently wet, insert one edge of the hook under the tile from below, and the edge of the other hook from above - and pull it towards you. This method is especially convenient when the tiles were laid correctly, using special glue. And it will also help not to spoil appearance products and will make it possible to use finishing material further.

Safety precautions

During dismantling work, it is very easy to get injured or damage communications running in the wall. To prevent this from happening, you must follow the following rules.

1. Check the location of pipes and other communications, especially electrical wiring, and use maximum caution in these areas. The use of power tools under such conditions is strictly prohibited. It is advisable to carry out dismantling using special metal brackets.
2. The body of the hammer drill must be made of dielectric material to completely eliminate the possibility of electric shock.
3. Personal protective equipment will protect you from dust and tile fragments. When working, be sure to use gloves, safety glasses, special clothing and shoes, and when working with a hammer drill or grinder, use a respirator.
4. While work is being carried out, no strangers should be in the room, and the door should not be closed. To prevent dust from entering adjacent rooms, the opening must be tightly covered with a wet sheet - it will not interfere with air exchange, but all the dust will remain on it.

Removing mortar and glue residues

A scraper will help to clean the surface of the tiles for reuse, as well as remove residual mortar and adhesive from the walls. First, the surface must be well moistened. It is even recommended to soak the tiles in water for several hours. It is advisable to use warm water with soap dissolved in it.

Nose cement mortar soap solution won't do the job. To soften it, salt is used, which makes the cement loose, destroying its crystal lattice. Final cleaning is carried out with a metal brush. There are special solutions on sale that will help greatly facilitate the process.

Once you've mastered the basics, it's easy to dismantle ceramic tiles with your own hands not only in the bathroom, but throughout the apartment. For example, dismantling an apron in the kitchen is done in a similar way.

The question of how to remove old tiles from bathroom walls sooner or later faces many homeowners. Not at all idle, not rhetorical. You can hire craftsmen, and then be horrified by the noise, dust, mountain of garbage and destruction. Or you can approach the issue creatively and do everything yourself. Carefully, without spoiling good relations with neighbors with the noise and preserving the old tiles for recycling.

1

You can’t go on a long and difficult hike without equipment. So with tiles in the bathroom, before you beat them off, you need to arm yourself with reliable tools and materials.

We will need:

• chisel and chisel;
• a hatchet with a wide blade;
• steel hammer;
• mallet (carpenter's hammer made of hardwood or rubber);
• drill with drills;
• a set of scrapers (machinery cutting tools with a short tip of different profiles);
• spray bottle with clean water;
• solvent;
• sandpaper;
• hammer drill with a set of attachments;
• grinder with a set of discs;
• personal protective equipment (goggles, hat, respirator, gloves, etc.);
• rags, garbage bags.

Depending on how firmly the tile sits and how urgent the issue of its safety is, some of the items on the list may remain unclaimed. But it is difficult to predict in advance what you will encounter during your work. There is nothing superfluous in repairs.

Removing old tiles from the walls

There is only one bath, but the walls are different in terms of what tiles were laid on. When working, it is advisable not to damage either the walls or the tile covering.

The tiles could be laid:

1. Directly onto concrete or brick - the materials from which the walls are made. Concrete is difficult to damage, brick too, unless you specifically set out to do so.
2. On a plastered surface. This is good because the tiles will easily come off along with the glue and pieces of plaster, which you will have to worry about cleaning from the tiles. But, of course, the plaster will have to be restored.
3. Drywall. A very popular material that allows you to create interiors of a wide variety of shapes. But in itself it is fragile. If you do not immediately ensure that the tiles are easily removed from it, then, most likely, the drywall will be damaged in many places and will require replacement.
4. The worst option is if the tiles are old from the era of general shortage, when they were laid on cement or gypsum mortar. Both are tightly coupled. It’s as if they become part of the tiles and walls themselves. But you won’t need this old tile, unless it’s a museum rarity. It will not fit in color, shape, or structure into modern style finishing.
5. Special tile adhesives. The ones that are diluted with water and applied with a spatula-comb. They hold very well, but at the same time (thanks to the manufacturers) they often allow you to remove old tiles without much damage. Of course, with a certain technique and surface preparation.
6. Assembly adhesives. Synthetic from various components (acrylic, silicone, polyurethane, etc.). May be on water based or in an organic solvent. If you don't know what type of glue you need, you'll have to go through trial and error. Usually one or two chipped tiles are enough to understand how to move forward.

Knowing the surface under the tiles will help you develop the right dismantling tactics.

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If the condition of the bathroom allows, thoroughly moisten everything with a shower, spray bottle, or sponge. Then go along the seams with a grinder disk, where the disk does not go through - with scrapers. You need to clean the seams as thoroughly as possible to create grooves. Pour water in there again and let the glue soak. Already at this stage, some tiles will begin to lag, making future work easier.

The process of removing old tiles

Tap the top layer with a mallet, if you hear a dull sound of voids somewhere, start from there. We carefully chop off the first tile using a chisel (or chisel) and a hammer. Most likely, she will not stand it and will split, but access to her “neighbors” will open up, and things will be more fun. Add water: it will penetrate deeper and loosen more glue.

When it is necessary to remove a single tile from a row, a drill with drill bits is used. We start from the center to the edges. We drill 10-20 holes, then chip them with a chisel and thoroughly clean the free space.

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Further - depending on the goal. We need to save time and waste is of no value, so we use a hammer drill. The main thing is to warn your neighbors, apologize and agree on a convenient time. Or carefully, tile by tile, without damaging it, we chop it off and put it in boxes for safekeeping.

Removing tiles from the floor

Attention: there is always a possibility of collapse of part of the old masonry.

When working, be sure to use by individual means protection. If we take care of the tiles, then we need to take care of our health even more.

You will be surprised at how much debris will appear and how quickly it accumulates. Get rid of it regularly. Then the work will be more fun and the result will be better.

When the last tile comes away from the wall, it will become clear: the task is not difficult and it’s good that you took on it yourself.