How can I remove ceramic tiles from a bathroom wall without damage the wall itself, as I want to paint the wall. Would steam help loosen the glue used?
Ceramic Tile For Bathroom Walls
If the tiles have been there any length of time you are going to have to do some work to the wall before you paint it not matter how you remove the tiles. There isn't much of anything out there that will help you remove them gently. It is most generally a hammer but a stiff putty knife very well may do the trick but like I said...you are still gonna have a lott prep work before painting.
You need to plan that replacing some drywall is inevitable. I've installed thousands of sq. ft. of tile, and unless your bathroom walls are plywood, or concrete backer board, the act of tile removal will tear at the drywall in the removal process. Tile mortar (Quickset) is designed to bond Usually forever, and in that bonding it isn't going to just fall off at a touch,,,unless the wall behind it is already degraded. One option is to remove by scraping,,,STEAM will not work, though might further damage drywall. After scraping, rough sand as smooth as possible, and install new drywall over old. Then finish. Rev. Steven
If you are just concerned about removing the tiles, and don't care if they are damaged during the removal, then chisel and hammer would work. However! If you are trying to keep those old tiles in tact, it's a much more difficult process. Secondly, you said the walls were plaster (and lathe behind that?) Once those walls are compromised, it's a lot of work to re-plaster. Other options: 1. Call a company who resurfaces old tiles with another colored ceramic coating, 2) Cut out those sections of walls and install other materials, like granite, abbatibi (sp?) , fiberglass sections, or 3) pull down the old walls, put up new greenboard and re-tile with the tiles of your choice. If you want an excellent result, I'd go with the third choice, but it is A LOT of work. A few weeks if you are working part time and really know what you are doing. If it's not really important to have it last for say, more than 7 years, I'd just have a company re-coat the tile. It'll take them 1-4 days and will cost equal to or less than the other options. Good Luck! It' an ambitious project.
The tiles are held on with grout, not glue. It all depends on where these tiles are and the condition of the wall behind them. Do any of the tiles have cracks? Is there any black mould growing at the edges where the tiles meet a wall or the tub? But before I go any further - If the tiles are surrounding the tub, aka tub surround or shower stall, then don't use only paint on plain dry wall. It just won't work... well, it will work, but not for long. You'll have to replace the dry wall within months! Now, to start you need to crack a tile or two, break it from the wall, scrap the rest off with a strong flat metal tool (some call them putty knives). The more moisture behind the tile the easier the tiles come off. Some tiles will be so adhered it will take the drywall paper or drywall with it, and you will have to either replace the drywall or mud it, then sand it flat and prime it. You can't get away with this, no matter how you try. It is the way of the tile, so to speak. To replace the wall or part of it there is a fairly new product on the market that is highly water resistent - nothing in this world is water proof! All succumbs to water, eventually. - you will find it at Home Depot , or any other building supplier, and it looks like concrete. Heavy as hell, and sold in sheets like drywall. You have to use a skill saw to cut out the size you need, and use screws to adhere it to the 2x4's that makes the room's frame.
