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Removing tile from concrete floor

16 years ago

I'm in the process of demolition and I can't get the tile off the floor. I removed tile in another part of the house, which must have been different tile or cement, because I was able to lift entire 18x18 tiles in some places without breaking the tiles. I just used a small chisel and hammer there. When I tried that in the bath, the tile fractured into small pieces and sometimes the surface of the concrete came up with the tile. The cement left after I get the tile up seems to be harder than the concrete. I am creating a mess.

I bought a floor scraper but the blade is too flexible so it can't pry the tile. I found a scraper with a heavier blade, but it is very lightweight and I can't bust through the cement. I found a large heavy bar with a chisel end but it is 6 feet long and I can't maneuver it in the room.

Any suggestions on how to remove the tile? Maybe a recommendation on the proper tool? I seem to need a cross between the two scrapers I bought - heavy with a thick blade. The guys at Ace, Lowes, and HD don't have a clue.

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Comments (7)

bill_vincent
16 years ago
The proper tool would be an electric chipping hammer with a chisel bit from a tool rental place.

AS for the other tile coming up easily, that's all in the tile size. 18x18's require a larger trowel to put them down, although some installers will "cheap out" and just use a normal sized trowel. As a result, the tile is barely stuck, as you saw for yourself. What you're seeing now is how it SHOULD be.
kevin1727
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks Bill!
I searched the tool rental shops online and found a "demolition hammer" that runs on 115V. It looks like a mini version of the tool they use for breaking up concrete pavement.
I'll stop by tomorrow and see if I can get one.
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It all depends on what they used to install the tile and the condition of the concrete. Best case scenario was very smooth/shiney concrete with a non-modified thinset mortal, which the tiles pop easy and the thinset can be scraped with a standard flooring scraper. Worse case scenatio was rough concrete installed witha modified mortar. Tiles come up in little pieces and the thinset is now a part of the concrete where you take off the high spots and feather it out with floor patch or you need to grind it. There is middle ground if the concrete was shiney and smooth and they used modified mortar. Do a test with a hammer and cold chisel to see how easy it will come up and scrape. If its very tough, go rent a small demolition hammer with a 3" scaling bit.
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bill_vincent
16 years ago
This is the one I use, but with a 3" wide chisel bit:
kevin1727
Original Author
16 years ago
They had the exact same model at the rental shop so I used that and the 3" chisel. Yes, that worked much better!! I still couldn't get all the thinset off without taking up the concrete top coat. There is only 1/4" difference between the high spots and low spots so I guess I can level that easily enough before tiling.
Thanks for the photo.
bill_vincent
16 years ago
The thinset's tough. For that, I've got a special blade that cost me about 280.00:

(does a good job taking vinyl up off of concrete, too! :-) )

Once you've got the tile up, you might want to settle down with a hammer and chisel, and just take off the high ridges from between the tiles, and so long as the thinset is well stuck, you can go right over it.
kevin1727
Original Author
16 years ago
That looks a little like the extra blade they gave to me too. It didn't work well on the tile, but I used it later on the thinset with the speed set low and at a high angle. Every now and then it would break through the concrete top layer so I just did the high spots like you said.
I felt like "Ahnold" or Rambo with a Gatling gun. My arms are beat but it is better than what I was facing with the chisel and hammer. I'm ready for the next step now, which is "rest one week" and get stuff on order.
You have been a great help.
Thanks!
bill_vincent
16 years ago
Not a problem. :-)

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