Before starting repairs to restore the surface of walls and floors, it is imperative to remove the old tile. However, it is often necessary to leave the tile for re-installation. Many take a puncher in their hands and crush everything that falls under the shock wave of the device, and many believe that the tile must be removed carefully and try not to damage it during dismantling, especially if the tile is of high quality. So let's look at a few answers to the question: "How to carefully remove the tile without breaking it?" and see photos and videos.
Tools
First, you need to equip yourself with the following tools:- Protective goggles against dust in the eyes;
- Mask or bandage to avoid contamination of the respiratory tract;
- Putty knife;
- Chisel;
- A hammer;
- Mittens;
- Grout scraper;
- Drill 6 mm;
- Drill.
Advice. Even if something doesn’t work out for you, there’s nothing wrong with that. Remember that not all tiles will remain intact, and yet 5-10% of the tiles will be damaged.
Tile removal tools
Agree, everyone can break the tiles and collect crumbs on the floor. It is also easy to damage the very structure of the tile, in which case it will no longer look like it should. So, we set ourselves the task of leaving as much material as possible safe and sound.
Tile analysis
The quality of our work will depend on four main factors:- Quality of laying tiles;
- The composition of the grout;
- The composition of the adhesive composition;
- Age of ceramics.
Stages of work on the removal of tiles
- 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 pollute the mucous membrane of the eyes and respiratory tract;
- Then it is necessary to clean the inter-tile seams. Each seam should be practically free of grout;
Advice. In order to loosen the tile, you can drill a small hole in it. Most likely, it will not work to save the first tile, but on the other hand, you will completely protect yourself from breaking the entire structure at once.
- Proceed to remove the tiles and be sure to start from the top row. Tiles can sometimes be removed in layers, and you cannot predict exactly how many pieces may suddenly fall. You should also think about the fact that sharp fragments do not harm the health of the master.
- It is necessary to smash the first tile to smithereens and drive the tool with light and accurate 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 it is worth trying to detach the tile with a tool on the other side. You should not apply strong blows to the 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 tile?
Damage to the tile is a simple matter, and we will present you with a sequence of actions for carefully removing the tile:- Clean up grout. If not, then use water. We spray it, wait a little - 5-10 minutes and spray it again. After that, the grout will clean up a little better;
- Replace the chisel with a chisel or spatula. When using such materials, the tile will not be able to 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 so as not to break it?
Of course, it is much easier to remove tiles from the floor, because you do not need to hold it - it will not fall. However, dismantling floor tiles is not an easy task, in which a perforator should not be used, because it will split each piece of tile into several pieces.Technique for carefully removing tiles from the floor:
Advice. Grout is cleaned on floor tiles several times worse than on wall tiles, so carrying out a tricky action with water will already be mandatory here.
In order to clean the grout, you need to use a scraper and carefully hold it until the cement base is visible. Then you need to take a chisel and start tapping on the perimeter of each tile. As soon as the sound becomes muffled, 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 from which part of the tile the sound comes from - from the left or from the right in relation to the instrument.
When the tile starts to move away from the place that you found, you should lightly hit the chisel here with a hammer and carefully remove the tile - it will come off easily. It remains only to clean the mortar on which the tile lay, 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 so difficult. You just need to follow the recommendations and act with extreme caution.
The article will address issues related to the removal of old tiles. Recommendations and information will be given regarding the complete and rapid removal of the coating, as well as the careful removal of individual fragments.
Do-it-yourself dismantling of old tiles
At some point, it's time for a major or cosmetic overhaul. This phenomenon does not bypass the tile coating.
Many, mistakenly, believe that only a master can partially or completely remove old ceramics from walls. However, this is within the power of every owner.
When is dismantling necessary?
Dismantling of cladding from walls and other surfaces may need to be carried out for various reasons:
- temporary dismantling;
- replacement of a damaged fragment;
- partial or complete surface repair;
- interior renovation.
The dismantling of tiles can be carried out in two main ways: careless and careful removal. In the first case, the material is removed in any way possible and turns into garbage, and in the second case, careful dismantling is implied for the purpose of subsequent reuse.
How to carefully remove ceramic tiles in the bathroom from the wall without damaging it
Dismantling does not always mean complete removal. In some situations, dismantling requires individual fragments, which should be removed carefully without damaging adjacent pieces of tiles. The best tool for carefully removing ceramic tiles from a bathroom wall is a hammer and chisel. The chisel can be replaced with a spatula, flathead screwdriver, chisel and so on.
It should be understood that when trying to carefully remove the lining, it is not possible to save it in one hundred percent volume. It is difficult to dismantle the old tiles and high-quality tiles.
Before starting work, preparation should be made. In addition to the above tools, it is recommended to change into work clothes and use special safety goggles. Also, the space in the working area should be as clear as possible from foreign objects and objects that hinder movement and restrict access.
Tiles in the process of dismantling can break, split, burst and fall off in layers. Therefore, it is recommended to move from top to bottom, as well as take measures to protect the body and surrounding objects from possible fragments.
Break the top with a hammer to expose the edges of the other tiles and test the strength of the adhesive that holds them. To remove further, you should drive the chisel between the tile and the layer of glue, and then apply a few careful but strong blows. This should be enough for high-quality and accurate tile removal. Weak or frequent impacts can cause a collapse of a large formation or cracking of the coating.
How to quickly remove old ceramic tiles from the wall in the kitchen and bathroom
In some situations, people are interested in the question of the prompt removal of old tiles in various rooms.
It should be recognized that any quick removal option implies that the material will deteriorate and become garbage, not suitable for subsequent use.
.Those who want to quickly remove the old tile with their own hands may need the following tools:
- perforator;
- a hammer;
- bit;
- chisel.
This is not a complete list, and depending on whether the removal method is manual or automated, the choice of tool will also differ. In this case, in addition to the points mentioned above in the previous section, a respirator should also be used in addition to protective measures.
It should be taken into account that tiles, and especially when manually removed, can be removed with different levels of difficulty. There are a number of factors that influence this:
- masonry quality;
- age;
- terms of Use;
- characteristics of the adhesive composition.
How to tear off floor tiles without breaking them
The principle of working with tiles on the floor differs slightly from the actions, requirements and set of tools used to work with vertical surfaces. The main disadvantage and distinctive point is the inconvenient arrangement of tools during work.
In the case of complete and quick dismantling, all available means will do. However, if you need to gently tear the tile off the floor without breaking it, then you will need to make preliminary preparations.
You will need to clean the surface from the adhesive solution, work out the seams and eliminate irregularities with the help of a grinder with a special nozzle. After that, you should thoroughly moisten the seams with water and let them brew for several hours to absorb moisture. As a rule, after this, the tiles are removed easily and do not collapse.
How to beat off a tile from a wall if integrity is not important
In the case of a solution to this issue, you can use all the recommendations given in paragraph No. 3. However, when roughly removing the tiled layer, it should be borne in mind that communications can go under it. They can get damaged, such as wires or underfloor heating. In some situations, it may also be a more profitable solution to involve a master.
How to remove residue from the surface
In the case when the tile is removed in full, and not in part, it is obvious that the purpose of this event is to prepare the wall for applying a new coating. Often, even after the complete removal of the tile, a considerable layer and traces of glue and solutions remain directly on the wall.
Of course, this layer also needs to be carefully removed and cleaned. This is a fairly simple task that can be done with your own hands, using a trowel, spatula, scraper and other similar tools. Before cleaning off the remains from the wall, they should be walked over with a wet sponge and allowed to absorb moisture.
The wall surface must be thoroughly and evenly cleaned to ensure even distribution and quality of the new coating.
The article provided information sufficient for each owner to feel like a home master and with his own hands be able to make a complete or local removal of the tile.
Useful video
The tile in the bathroom is glued with a cement-sand mixture or cement-based adhesives. They provide a secure grip on the base surface. The finish is held so tightly that if it is necessary to dismantle it, it cannot be done without physical effort and tools.
Dismantling the old tiles in the bathroom can be done in several ways. Some of them allow you to keep part of the tile intact and suitable for later use, others are faster and easier to perform, but the material becomes unusable.
Dismantling work is important to carry out so as not to damage the plumbing and furniture in the bathroom. If possible, vacate the premises. The bathtub and sink should be wrapped with a soft cloth and covered with a film. If the tiles will be removed only from the walls, it will be necessary to protect the floor from heavy fragments. It can be hidden under a sheet of plywood, cardboard, dense polyethylene.
If you remove the bath, it will be more convenient to remove the tiles, and the plumbing device itself will remain safe and sound. You should also consider your own safety. You need to work in a respirator or gauze bandage. To protect against injury, you will need tight gloves, goggles, hard-toed shoes, and clothing that covers the body as much as possible.
Important! Communications can pass under the tile finish. You should mark their location in advance, and work in these areas especially carefully.
Depending on the chosen method of dismantling, different tools will be required:
- perforator;
- renovator;
- chisel or chisel;
- a hammer;
- putty knife.
To keep as many pieces of masonry intact as possible, you can glue the edges of the tiles with several layers of masking tape. This will significantly increase the dismantling time, but will save on the purchase of a new tile to repair another room.
Chisel or spatula
This method is quite quiet and accurate, but it will take a lot of time. If the tile needs to be saved, then first you need to embroider the seams, this will allow you to divide the finish into separate fragments. How to do this depends on the composition of the grout:
- If it is cement-based, you should use a construction knife with a durable blade, a hacksaw, or a special tool with a serrated blade. During work, it is important not to damage the edges of the tile, it is better to run the tool along the center of the seam, cleaning the grout to the maximum depth.
- Especially strong epoxy grout will need to be softened with a building hair dryer, then cleaned with a sharp tool.
You can remove the grout to a shallow depth with a construction drill with a disk nozzle or a renovator, then complete the work with a knife.
Advice! To avoid breathing dust while sawing joints, work in tandem with an assistant. Its task is to direct the vacuum cleaner in the direction of a working power tool.
You need to start from the top row. The first tile will have to be broken with a hammer or cut diagonally. Further work is carried out in stages with each fragment separately:
It is necessary to work with the free edges of the tile. First you need to knock off the glue around the fragment so that it does not interfere with setting the chisel under the tile, and not on its edge. Then, in several sections of the free edge of the tile, substitute a chisel at an angle of 45 degrees and knock it out with a hammer. The vibration that will be transmitted to the entire fragment will gradually separate the tile from the base. Remove the rest of the trim, moving along the horizontal rows from top to bottom. 
Instead of a chisel, you can use a narrow spatula. First you need to separate the tile from the glue from the free sides: put the spatula blade at an angle on the glue and knock it out with a hammer with light blows. This creates small gaps between the tiles and the wall. Then insert a spatula with a wider blade under the fragment and gradually drive it with a hammer between the tile and the glue. The angle at which the tool is directed should be minimal, ideally the canvas is installed close to the wall. If the tile is large, the length of the spatula may not be enough, then you can use a thin metal rail, inserting it under the tile with light hammer blows.
Sometimes dismantling tiles can be especially difficult. For example, if it was placed on bare drywall. In this case, adhesion to the base will be very high and it is impossible to knock down the tile without damaging the partition. There is a chance to separate the finish from drywall if it has been previously puttied. In this case, it is better to remove the tile with a spatula.
If the safety of the tile is not important, you can work with a chisel and a hammer more actively and without jointing the tile joints.
The dismantling of the floor in the bathroom is carried out in the same way, with the only difference being that you can start it from any part of the finish.
perforator
The fastest way to deal with the old coating with your own hands is with a perforator and a nozzle in the form of a wide spatula. If the finish is of no value, then preliminary preparation of the coating is not needed.
How to properly dismantle the tile with a perforator:
- Break one tile in the top row with a hammer.
- Bring the punch blade under the next tile in the same row at an angle of 45°.
- Turn on the puncher and pry the fragment from the bottom up if it's a floor, and sideways or down if it's a wall.
- Move along the wall only from top to bottom. If the finish does not hold well, the top sections can collapse from strong vibration and cause injury.
Important! The puncher cannot be used if the tile is glued to drywall. Rough dismantling is only suitable for solid substrates.
If the tile needs to be kept intact, then the grout should be removed before dismantling. And when working with a puncher, use a wide nozzle - a flat chisel. The device must work in the strobe mode. In this case, the spatula should be installed on the glue, without touching the edge of the tile. If the tile is large, the impact of vibration should be uniform: first in the center, then closer to the corners of the fragment. It is impossible to start the perforator blade deeply, otherwise the tile will crack.
When working with a puncher, most of the tiles can be saved on the bathroom floor. In order to carefully and with less loss remove the tiles from the walls, you will need the help of another person who will insure the dismantled fragments from falling.
Sometimes only one piece of masonry needs to be replaced, for example, if it has a defect. Also, communications can pass behind the tiles, and if they are damaged, dismantling is indispensable. To carry out all the work with minimal damage, you need to remove one or more tiles without damaging the neighboring ones.
- Separate the dismantled tile from the rest of the tile. To do this, you need to clean the grout, in any way indicated above, taking into account the hardness and composition of the mixture.
- Tap the tile. If there are voids under it, you can simply break the fragment with a hammer. If there are no voids, drill a hole in the center of the tile with a diamond crown (or make several holes over the entire area with a drill) and knock down the finish with a hammer and chisel.
- To put a new fragment in its original place, you will need to remove the old glue. Removing the adhesive is necessary so that the new tile is in the same plane as the undamaged areas.
- Prepare the surface for the installation of a new tile: sweep the dust and prime.
If it is not possible to purchase a replacement tile with the same design and color, we recommend using decorative tiles with a pattern that will match the bathroom interior.
Removing adhesive residue
For a new finish, it is necessary to prepare the base. After dismantling, fragments of glue will remain on the walls and floor. They can be knocked down with a perforator with a spatula in shock mode. In this case, the nozzle of the tool must be located perpendicular to the wall surface. If you hold it at an angle, the nozzle will slide off and the adhesive will not separate from the wall.
In the absence of a power tool, you can use a chisel and a hammer to remove adhesive residue in the same way as when dismantling tiles. Then clean the wall of debris and dust and primed.
Tile cleaning for later use
Pieces of adhesive and grout will definitely remain on the dismantled tile. To prepare the material for re-laying, they need to be cleaned off. How difficult it will be to complete this task depends on the characteristics of the adhesive. Sometimes mixtures are easily scraped off with a scraper, an emery stone or a wire brush. If the composition leaves with difficulty, it can be wetted with water and get to work when it becomes more pliable.
In particularly difficult cases, when the adhesive is removed with great difficulty, the old tile must be soaked in saline for several hours. Then try to remove the composition with a scraper. But this is not always possible, then aggressive chemicals are used, for example, Prosept.
You can use the grinder:
How to dismantle the tiles in the bathroom depends on many features: the characteristics of the base, the composition of the mixture that was used for laying the tiles and grouting, the availability of a tool. If you do all the work correctly, you can save up to 80% of the material intact.
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If, as a result of inspection and tapping, it turned out that the tile is sitting firmly, and it will not work to remove it without damage, you should use the fastest and most popular dismantling method, which allows you to free the walls and floor for fresh cladding, but splitting the entire tile into pieces. This method is very noisy, and repairs should be carried out during the daytime, warning the neighbors.
Fast way
Perforator with nozzles "peak" and "blade" removes tiles fasterTo work, you will need the following tools and materials:
- perforator with a breaker blade;
- chisel and hammer;
- old burlap, thick plastic wrap, cardboard or plywood.
Sequencing:
- If you need to clean the wall, it is better to cover the floor with a thick plastic film, cloth or cardboard to avoid scratches and dents. You also need to close the door, open the window, cover the plumbing items with old blankets.
- Using a puncher, knock down the tiles, starting from the top row of window or door openings and moving to the side to reduce the risk of damage. On the floor, you should start from the threshold or the junction with the wall.
- If individual elements cannot be removed with a perforator, you can install a chisel with a sharp edge at the junction of the tile with the base and hit the handle with a hammer.
- Carefully collect large fragments, to completely eliminate small ones, vacuum.
When removing the adhesive with a knife, the risk of damaging the tiles is minimal. The principles and algorithm for working with different base materials on the floor and on the walls are similar. If, for example, drywall was plastered and puttied before finishing, then it is easier to remove the tile without damage, because the plaster layer is weaker than tile adhesive, the rough base will remain smooth. Otherwise, when dismantling the tile, the front cardboard layer will be torn off, and many elements will burst.
Affects fastening strength and temperature rise. Near radiators and heated towel rails, the connection to the base will be more reliable. Cement as an adhesive composition eats into the base more strongly, as a result of work, both the tile and the plasterboard sheets will be damaged. Special ready-made mixtures will allow you to remove the lining carefully.
For work you will need:
- a chisel or spatula that will not break from hammer blows;
- hammer and hacksaw;
- Bulgarian;
- water, sponge or spray;
- masking tape.
Dismantling process:
- Wet the grout on the tile joints with water from a spray bottle or with a sponge to soften it a little. Let stand.
- With a knife or a sharpened nail, clean the joints from grout and glue, wet again.
- Pry off the tile with a spatula and, tapping it with a hammer, separate the tile from the wall or floor.
- Soak the tiles in water for several hours, then use a grinder with a cleaning wheel or a metal brush.
- Clean the plasterboard base from adhesive residues using a grinder with a grinding wheel attachment.
How to remove old bathroom tiles
Finally, a few words about how to remove the old tiles in the bathroom in a single copy - I hope you have already understood that such a trick cannot be performed accurately. Even if you manage to remove the desired tile intact, then you will definitely damage the neighboring one - you may not crack it, but chips are guaranteed in such situations!
It is possible to remove one old tile without damaging the neighboring ones only if the tile was laid recently (a few days ago, a maximum of a week).
To do this, you first need to clean the seams - either a screwdriver or a special knife with interchangeable diamond blades will do. When the seam is cleaned, the tile is carefully picked with a chisel or chisel, while it is better to wrap the tool with electrical tape so that the metal does not chip on the adjacent tile. In any case, when performing a single tile replacement, make sure that there is something to replace another tile with.
This is how things stand with the question of how to remove the tiles from the wall. The extent to which you succeed in this fully depends on your skill and, of course, on the quality of its styling and other factors mentioned above.
In most cases, the question is how to remove tiles from drywall. is solved quite difficult - it would be more accurate to say that it is not solved at all. The glue adheres to its surface so firmly that drywall also deteriorates with it. If we talk about one or more tiles, then this is still fixable - after removing the glue, the damaged section of drywall is cut out and replaced with a new one.
The process of removing tiles from drywall in the bathroom
At the end of this topic, consider the question of how to remove glue from tiles. Here you can go in two ways - easy and difficult. In one situation, when it comes to just a few tiles, the problem can be solved with a hammer and a chisel, and in another case, when it becomes necessary to clean a large amount of tiles, it is better to use a special grinder attachment.
In the case of a hammer and a chisel, it is better to pre-soak the tile in water for at least 20 minutes, and it is better to immerse it in liquid overnight - after such water procedures, it will be much easier to separate. As for the nozzle for the grinder, it is better not to use it at home, since this work is very dusty. In any case, you will need to purchase a respirator, goggles to protect your eyes and, of course, gloves that will protect your hands from damage.
Perforator first assistant when removing tiles over a large area
It is possible to remove one old tile without damaging the neighboring ones, without additional processing of tile joints, only if the tile has been laid recently
If the tile was glued directly to the insulation, it will not work to save the base. The cladding layer is removed along with the plasterboard panels.
The walls in some apartments and houses are insulated with gypsum boards, on top of which ceramic cladding is glued. Such a base must be removed along with the tile. It will be possible to remove the tiles and not damage the sheets if the insulation was covered with a layer of plaster before repair. In such cases, the grout is cleaned with a kitchen knife.
It is easier to crush it with a chisel or a puncher, and then clean off the remnants with a spatula. The facing material is peeled off the wall along with a layer of plaster. Before gluing a new tile, drywall sheets are primed and treated with special leveling compounds.
If the tile was glued directly to the insulation, it will not work to save the base. The cladding layer is removed along with the plasterboard panels.
You can remove several pieces of tiles glued to the insulation with a hacksaw. The grout around the area to be dismantled is cleaned with a tool with a thin blade and a sharp tip. A piece of drywall is cut out along with the facing material and, prying with a chisel, is removed.
The hole, which was formed after the dismantling of the tile, is filled with bars or a profile. Attach a new piece of drywall to the base. It is recommended to use self-tapping screws, and a chamfer is made on the insulation.
Important: If the tile to be removed is located above the bathroom, the plumbing is covered with a shield of boards or chipboard. A sheet of metal will work too. You can cover with an old blanket or blanket to protect from damage.
Dismantling the tiles can be done independently if you have the necessary tools at hand. A person removing the facing material will need a chisel and a drill, as well as protective clothing, a respirator and goggles. After all, you need to protect not only plumbing, but also your own health.
The process of removing tiles from drywall in the bathroom 
As you can see, there is nothing super complicated in the procedure for removing old tiles. However, this does not mean that the work is easy. It will still require time and effort. It is only important to follow the recommendations.
If you show inattention or inaccuracy, then the complexity of the work is guaranteed. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out the dismantling procedure with concentration. A perforator in such a matter, as already found out, is a good thing. And if you imagine how much force is required to process a large surface, then the choice is clearly in his favor, and not in favor of manual labor.
This refers to a hammer and a chisel or chisel. At the same time, the power tool provides a given force and frequency of impact, so its work is to some extent predictable, and therefore less dangerous. Do not forget about fatigue. And on large areas when working with a hammer, it is she (fatigue) that is a risky factor that can turn the procedure into a health hazard. In addition, it is much more convenient to work with a puncher when removing tiles on the floor than with a hammer and chisel.
You need to be especially vigilant in the places of fastenings and the exit of pipes. There is no need to hurry. In this case, just a hammer may be more relevant, or you can use a weak impact mode, if one is provided. Tap the chisel with a hammer gently with a small swing. Such neat behavior is especially important near plumbing fixtures, as well as sewers - objects, especially fragile ones.
It must be remembered: the better the old mortar is removed, the better the new layer of glue will fit.
Room preparation
Dismantling the facing material is a difficult and dusty job. Pieces of tiles fall on the floor and surrounding objects, can damage the toilet or sink. The bathroom is carefully prepared for renovation:
- take out the washing machine;
- remove cabinets and mirrors;
- hang windows with oilcloth or old rags;
- carefully dismantle plumbing.
Before you remove the tiles from the wall, you should carefully prepare the room itself. Dismantling ceramic tiles in some cases is quite difficult and you should be prepared for the fact that a certain part of the products will be damaged during the work. But removing such a coating from a bathroom wall can be easier than removing a tile without damaging it. Before proceeding with dismantling, you need:
- cover with a film not only the floors in the room, but also the remaining plumbing;
- temporarily seal sockets and switches;
- isolate lighting fixtures.
These precautions will help protect the items listed from dust and heavy contamination that could cause damage. The next step is to provide high-quality and effective protection for the sanitary equipment left in the room.
It is best to cover the equipment with cardboard or soft mats folded in several layers. This will help to avoid damage by fragments of broken tiles (this will be a must). All fixtures should be turned off and taken out long before the start of work, and the removal of tiles should be carried out under specially created lighting.
Now you can start preparing the tool with which the tiles will be dismantled from the wall. Depending on the quality and age of the mortar (and the tile itself), it is necessary to prepare:
- perforator;
- hammer and chisel;
- metal spatula;
- foam sponge;
- container for warm water;
- mini atomizer;
- grinder;
- wallpaper knife.
Using a thin but strong metal spatula instead of a puncher, you can carefully remove the old tiles from the wall. Specifying how to carefully remove the tiles from the wall, many owners of apartments that are undergoing renovations decide to implement their plans on their own.
If it was not possible to remove the toilet or sink, they are covered with an old blanket. A protective blanket is wrapped around the product, and the corners are fastened with clothespins or tape. The fabric and the layer of cotton wool soften the blows, so the plumbing will remain unscathed.
Lay a layer of polyethylene film on the floor, cover with newspapers on top. The paper prevents slipping and protects against household injuries. Construction tape is glued onto the skirting boards. Carefully fasten the joints of the film so that dirt and dust do not settle on the floor.
Replacement of one or two elements
In the presence of damage only on some elements of the ceramic cladding, the services of spot repairs are resorted to. That is, only deformed elements are changed, while others are left in place. The following is an example of how to remove the old tiles in the bathroom in certain areas, without touching the rest.
For work, a homemade cutter is made. Make it as follows. They take a dowel or tap and sharpen the edge with sandpaper so that the end looks like a mini scalpel. The created cutter is attached to a handle cut from wood by means of a knitting wire. With such a device, you can choose from the gaps a grout that connects the elements to each other.
With a cutter, the grout is removed from the joints near those elements that are scheduled for removal. The glue is removed by longitudinal scratching with a cutter along the inter-tile gap until the edges of the tile are completely exposed. After that, they take a drill with a carbide drill and drill frequent holes in the elements to be removed. Armed with a narrow chisel, small ceramic elements are cut down, together with glue, until the base is completely cleansed.
If the finish of the bathroom is high-quality ceramics, then the question of the further use of the dismantled elements is natural. Well, do not throw away good material, even if it is used, when it can find a second life in a summer cottage or household plot, and even in the same garage or pit for laying out walls.
In this case, the removal of the finishing material in the bathroom is performed manually. They are operating here when sampling from the grout joints with the same home-made device, the manufacture of which was described in the example above. When the grout is removed, the wall is soaked in such a way that the mortar under the ceramic can also get wet.
It is also possible to make a chisel from an unreleased spring with your own hands. With a chisel, it will be easier to perform a gentle dismantling of the tile. Its thickness should be 3-5 mm, and the width of the cutting base - 4-6 cm, the edge is sharpened at an acute angle.
Ceramics are removed from top to bottom. The smallest element on the wall is chosen first. Cutting it out of the bed is done in parts. This provides access to the edges of adjacent tiles. Further, the excavation of the elements is carried out as follows: the chisel at an acute angle rests flat against the wall between the wall and the tile. They drive it into the glue with hammer blows, while trying to separate the element from the base.
The easiest way is to remove the tile from the plasterboard base, while it is the base of the plasterboard that is subject to destruction. Dry adhesive residues on the back of the elements are removed with a grinder dry cutter.
That's all the ways to dismantle the old tiles in the bathroom. Happy repair.
It happens that during operation several fragments on the wall are damaged.
At the same time, the decoration in the bathroom is still relatively new and does not need to be completely replaced, and the remains of tiles of this shade are stored in the closet.
In this case, you can try to remove the damaged fragments and replace them with whole ones from the stock.
But for this it is necessary to delicately remove the damaged fragment, trying not to scratch the neighboring ones.
The procedure is feasible, but troublesome:
- The seam around the damaged fragment is embroidered. It is desirable to penetrate deep into the gap, to the base, thus dividing the adhesive layer.
- A damaged tile is tapped with a hammer with small blows. From a concussion, she can fall out on her own.
If it does not help, we try to pry it from the side with a screwdriver or a knife.
It is important not to scratch the adjacent fragment!
It is likely that the freshly laid fragment will be different from the rest on the wall. It is even more likely that the color of the seam will be different.
Therefore, before proceeding with the replacement, you need to assess the extent of the damage and understand whether the replacement will help or if it will only exacerbate the problem.
This work can be entrusted to those who make a living like this and know better how to remove the tiles from the wall.
If you need to remove all the old finishes and at the same time the safety of the tiles does not play any role, then you can use the services of low-skilled workers who, for a moderate amount, will quickly complete the entire volume in a short time.
Dismantling in such a situation will cost 200-250 r / m2. If the safety of the material is required, then it is better not to entrust such a task to handymen, but to find qualified tilers. It will be expensive, but the percentage of the whole tile will be maximum.
On an ongoing basis, such a service is rarely offered, therefore, the price and terms will have to be negotiated individually.
It is better to replace one or two fragments on your own, because the master will take an impressive amount for the challenge - no one wants to go for the sake of one tile.