How to remove tiles without breaking it

Since last week we explained How to Drill Tiles without Breaking them, we are going to explain this week the simplest and most reliable way to be able to remove a tile without breaking it or, more importantly, without breaking any of those that are around it.

It is usually a common problem, when carrying out a small renovation at home, that a tile has to be removed, for the most diverse reasons (placing a new plug or light switch, making a gas outlet for a boiler, etc.). For Gibtiling professionals this is not a problem, but for a person who is not used to masonry work it can become a serious problem since the lack of experience and knowledge in the matter can cause us to cause many damages in adjacent tiles.

The ideal is to try to remove a tile, if it matches us correctly, that sounds hollow when tapped gently. If we do it like this, we can also remove that entire tile without breaking it. It should also be taken into account that if the entire wall is well tiled and there are no gaps behind any tile, it is most likely that, no matter how well we do the job, the chosen tile will break when removed.

It is not uncommon for inexperienced people to try to remove the tile by breaking it, with the help of a chipper and a flowerpot, to clear that gap and be able to do the job without further ado. That is a big mistake. If we break the tile like this, we are guaranteed that part of the outer edge of the tiles that are around will be skipped.

Once we have chosen the tile that we are going to remove, the first thing we must do, if we want to avoid the situation described above, is to use a suitable tool. For this it is best to use a good cutter or spatula. Professionals tend to use a Mini Grinder for this but we do not advise it to people who do not know how to handle this tool with ease, as it can cause the widia disc to notch the other tiles.

We will introduce the tip of the tool and we will gently scrape over the tile's paving joint. We will continue to scrape around the tile and penetrate deeply until all the joint is gone. It is important that this work is well done because it depends on it that the rest of the operation goes perfectly.

If instead of a wall tile we want to remove a ceramic tile from the floor, the operation will be the same.

Then we will place a chisel, or even a large flat-head screwdriver, over the tile groove and tap gently, to avoid breakage, until it comes off.

Once we have the first tile out, we can remove other tiles, doing the same scraping operation on the joints, if this is necessary for the work we are going to carry out.

If, even having taken all the precautions, it turns out that one of the tiles around us has missed a piece, it is best to caulk the damaged part with Soft Polyester Putty and then apply a Tile Enamel of the same color as the one on that area. damaged tile.

If you want to remove tiles from the floor, here are some steps to follow.

Remove the tiles from the floor: the precautions to take

Arm yourself with a mason knife, chisel and hammer, drill with ceramic drills, scraper, and patience. Remember to equip your gloves because china can be very sharp. Likewise, avoid screening with glasses and clothing that covers your skin.

Remove the tiles from the floor: the right gestures.

Slowly break the gasket around the tile to be removed, using the chisel, to clean the tiles. Drill 3 thin holes in the center of the triangle. Slide the knife into a hole and maneuver to lift the tile pieces and hollow out the formed triangle. Little by little, you can use the chisel to blow the rest. Scratch the center to remove any debris. You can also use a heat gun to melt the glue residue and loosen the tile more easily.

Replace a tile floor

If you have replacement tiles from the same collection, just make a simple replacement. If not, choose contrasting tiles and remove several other tiles to form a pattern. Make sure the floor is perfectly clean before applying the tile adhesive and then the sealer.

If you have decided to remove all your tiles, check that the surface is flat. If not, you will have to fix your floor.

All in all, you can ask assistance if you are not sure how to do it, Contact an expert tiler at Gibtiling today!