Complete DIY newbie here with an outdated bathroom that I want to make a master. The floor is covered in hideous 1x1 tiles. I will replace this tile with some 12x12 or 8x8. Any suggestions on how to get this stuff off?
A lot depends on just how its layed and the substrate that it s over. I ve seen tiles done over a thin plywood, in which case you use a hammer, bust it up and remove the ply wood and all and start new. The tile could be on a mud bed in which you can either use a hammer and wide masonry chisel and go along and chisel then off . Then you can decide to remove the mud bed or go over top and reuse that substrate. Pull the stool or an in floor heat vent , if you have one, and you can determine what is under the tile. What looks like hardwood in the hall ( I can t tell for sure), and if the tile is semi flush with that, chances are its a mud bed. I m don t think its a cement board since you say it was done in the 70s and cement board wasn t invented untill the mid 70s. Any questions you can e mail me through my avatar and check my qualifications there. GL
Rent a hammer chisel and it will make short work of it.
I have seen an electric paint stripper used very successfully to remove the tiles and the sticky backing, the guy was also using white spirit at the same time to totally remove slight stickiness. It was a total success. These strippers look like hair dryers.
If you are going to replace everything down to subfloor and start fresh, hammer the tiles to break them loose. Some people will use a sledge hammer also. Then you just have to use a flat edge shovel to pick up broken tiles and toss out. Have a wheel barrow or a garbage can lined with a contractors trash bag close by. (they are stronger than regular type) Wear a dust mask also, gets dust everywhere.
How To Remove Mosaic Tiles
