How To Remove Ceramic Tile, Removing Ceramic Tile - (2024)

Ceramic tile is a thing that we use in our bedroom, bathroom, kitchen room, on floor or wall. It’s made our room-friendly, but for some causes, we need to remove ceramic floor tiles or ceramic wall tiles. We share how to remove ceramic tile from the floor, wall, and concrete floor in this context.

It is a secret method to remove ceramic tile. You can remove your ceramic tile easily, in a short, timely, by following this method. Let’s see the old, crack, stained, break of tile, removing ceramic tile method. I hope this content will help you to remove any tiles.

Read more, Best ceramic tile floor cleaner | Top ceramic cleaner reviews

Remove Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tile removal is not such a challenging job. You can easily remove ceramic tile from the floor or wall. If you know a straightforward method. We divided the method based on the place. Because wall tile and floor tile removing systems are not the same.

1. Ceramic Floor Tile Remove

2. Ceramic Wall Tile Remove

3. Ceramic Tile Remove From Concrete Floor

Removing Ceramic Floor Tile

Removing ceramic tile costs you more, If you want to pay someone or labor. Better for you to do it yourself if you got time. You need some tools to remove ceramic tiles.

Those tools will help you to do your job efficiently. If you have those tools, gather them. If you don’t have one, you could buy it at a supermarket or online store. Let’s see the tools list. Read here, tile cutter review.

You will need this

• Floor scraper
• Drop sheet
• Paint scraper
• Handheld chisel
• Hammer
• Leather gloves
• Dust musk
• Safety glass

Step 1:

Take out all the things from the floor, like furniture, freeze, rakes, and other things that you have on the floor. Remember, you need a clear area to work.

Step 2:

Take out the toilet and any pedestal sink. Disconnect all the water pipes, electric lines, and others that go through the floor

Note :

If you can’t see or you don’t know what is under your ceramic tile floor, you will have to do some detective work to find out what is under.

Step 3:

Wear a dust mask, safety glass, leather gloves. Hit the floor tile in the center with a heavy hammer. The broken tiles pieces can be very sharp, so work carefully. Cover the surface with a drop sheet for your protection.

Step 4:

Chip out the rest of the ceramic tile by using the chisel. Place the cold chisel in the grout line at the edge of the ceramic floor tile and start chipping out the floor tile.

Note:

Repeat steps number 3 and 4. You have to remove several floor tiles.

Step 5:

Chip out the rest of the ceramic tile by using the chisel. Place the cold chisel in the grout line at the edge of the ceramic floor tile and start chipping out the floor tile.

Note:

Repeat steps number 3 and 4. You have to remove several floor tiles.

Break up the multiple tiles at one time and remove them with a handheld chisel or floor scraper. You may be lucky or some chance when removing ceramic tile from a floor. Find an adhesive under the floor that is pliable and that you can easily peel off the ceramic tile floor.

You may find that the adhesive is like cement, and nothing short of dynamic will dislodge the ceramic tile flooring. Clean the floor by using some easy tips.

Step 6:

Remove the mortal from the underlayment by hammering with a heavy hammer. Mark 2 to 3-foot square section of the floor and smash up. Then, use the floor scraper to scrape the broken pieces of the mortal or pieces of ceramic tile off the underlayment.

Suppose this doesn’t get most of the mortar up. It’s going to be significantly easier to replace maintenance tile of the underlayment. Take out all the dust and pieces of tiles and throw them away.

Remove Ceramic Wall Tile

Removing wall tile is a little complicated. It’s different from removing floor tile. Because it’s typically set very closely and firmly, it means you need to take more care to remove the tiles from the wall. It would help if you had some tools for removing tile from the wall. Gather the tools and start your job.

You will need this

• Heat gun ( optional )
• Blow dryer ( optional)
• Utility knife
• Rotary ginger
• Metal scrapper
• Handheld chisel
• Flat tool
• Hammer
• Pliers
• Hand gloves
• Utility caliper
• Sandpaper
• Safety glass
• Dust musk

Step 1:

Wear hand gloves, safety glass, safety shoe, dust mask, a long-sleeved shirt, pants, and cap to protect yourself from the Sharp tile pieces and dust.

Clear the area where you want to remove tile from the wall. Remove all things that are near from wall such as, furniture, rack, and others. Because when you are removing tile lot of dust will cover the room.

Protect ceramic shower pans and bath sink, and other things by falling tiles. Cover them with cardboard.

Cover any drains that are near the wall. If any water pipes, electric lines go under the wall tile, disconnect them.

Step 2:

Decide where to start this selection is essential for removing your wall tiles. Check the wall, which somewhat reduces the chance of breaking tiles. It makes them much easier to remove. Most people save their time using this method.

When you want to remove a single tile, remove the grout on all sides to avoid damaging other tiles around it.

Step 3:

If your wall is too hard, you could use a heat gun or blow dryer, and it can make soften hard grout.

If you are managing to scrape away tinny amounts for a time, spend about 30 seconds warming up the grout line. It can help you to remove your ceramic wall tiles.

Step 4:

Scrape the ceramic tile grout away with a utility knife.

This method comes with a low risk of damaging your surrounding tile.

Set your utility knife in a sturdy holder. Run it carefully around the tile that you want to remove.

Step 5:

Try with a small rotary grinder beside the utility knife. If you use a rotary grinder, grout can remove faster than a knife.

Set the rotary grinder to the lowest volume and move it slowly only to the grout line. If you control the grinder well, you could remove tiles so fast.

Step 6:

Remove the grout with a metal scraper. The scrape continues until the grout remove.

Step 7:

Chisel the tile from the wall by using a chisel and hammer. You could use the flat scraper to remove ceramic wall tile.

Note:

All those steps are removing tiles without breaking. But, if your tile is old or scratched, you could also use the following steps.

Step 8:​

Break the tile if your tile is set into the mortar.

Make a hole in the center of the tile.

Chisel the crack tile away.

Be careful about the surrounding of the tile not to damage it.

Don’t forget to cover your eyes because eye protection is essential for this method.

Step 9:

Remove all the wall tile and clear the area.

Make the wall surface fairly by chipping with a chisel.

Clean the wall tile. Now, your wall is ready to put new tile.

Removing Ceramic Tiles From Concrete Floor

There is no easy way to do this job. It is a hard job and takes more time to remove ceramic tile from the concrete floor, unlike ceramic, concrete floor tile on cement board or wood. No underlayment or subfloor can be peed up and thrown away.

Removing ceramic tiles from concrete requires knocking out the ceramic tile and adhesive. It takes more time to finish your job. Even a small bathroom will take at minimum half a day to altogether remove.

You will need this

• Jackhammer
• Electric tile stripper
• Safety glass
• Knee pads
• Trowel
• Hammer
• Cold chisel
• Dust musk
• Vacuum

Step 1:

At first, take out all the things from the floor that you want to remove tile. Need a clear area for work.

If you have any water pipe, toilet drain, or electric lines under the floor, disconnect them. Be careful when you work in this area.

Step 2:

Check the tile when the grout is loosened and start from that place. Wear hand gloves and safety eyeglass, pants, a long sleeve shirt, and dust musk for safety.

Step 3:

Start to break the tile with a 3/4- or 1- in masonry and a 2lb hand maul.

Step 4:

Strike the face of stubborn ceramic tiles to cut them up for easier removal. Be careful about hammering time for ceramic sharpen edge pieces.

Typically, older floors with a ceramic adhesive will remove faster than floors laid with thin mortar.

Step 5:

Use a tiny jackhammer with a chisel point if tile refuses to come loose. If you are working for a larger room, consider using an electric ceramic tile stripper.

Step 6:

Remove the ceramic tiles. Chisel and scrap the adhesive as well by the cold chisel. If you can’t take out all the adhesive from the ceramic concrete tile, don’t worry. You can leave some adhesive up to 1/8 inch in thick. You could reuse it. It is the best way to remove ceramic tile.

Read more: How to sharpen ceramic knives

Safety

1. Keep the window open when you are removing tile inside the room.

2. Keep on the ventilation fan. It can remove the dust of ceramic tile from the room.

3. Wear a protective face mask. It can save your face.

4. Wear a safety glass or any eye-protect glass.

5. Wear good-quality hand gloves. It will help you to do a hard job and protect your fingers.

6. Ceramic tiles have sharpened edge pieces. So, wear good quality shoes or boots.

F.A.Q

What is the best tool for removing ceramic tile?

Many tools can help you to remove ceramic tiles. But, it would help if you had some tools that are perfect for removing tiles. I make a list that is the best tool to remove ceramic tile.

Main tool:

1- Power grout removal tool

2- Sledgehammer

2- Jackhammer

4- Wheelbarrow

5- Utility clipper

6- Rotary grinder

7- Masonry chisel

8- Hammer

9- Air hammer

10- Demolition fork

11- Electric tile stripper

12- Utility knife

13- Heat gun

For safety:

1- Safety glass

2- Hand gloves

3- Safety boot

4- Knee pad

5- Dust musk

6- Helmet

Can I reuse ceramic tiles again?

Yes, of course, if your ceramic tile is not damaged, scratched, stained, and looks new, you can reuse your ceramic tiles. It’s a great idea to reuse. It would be best if you were more careful when you remove tiles for reuse. Clean the tile as well before reuse.