Hammer and chisel are not the only tools you need for your tile removal project. You should also have the following:
The hammer and the chisel should be your first attempt to remove the tiles. However, if that doesn’t work, opt for the tile remover or the tile jackhammer.
That is why you will need to consult your professional tiler and hire them as your tile remover. They usually have the necessary tools. These tools can be different versions of tile removal jackhammers. Some of them are even pushed on a trolley for easy use.
Floor scraper will be necessary once you do your best with the hammer and the chisel. This tool is used so you can scrape away all the remaining pieces and the fragments of the tiles, as well as to help with the removal of adhesive remains.
You will need a shovel and a wheelbarrow to collect all the trash that you will create during the tile removal. Your house will be full of debris and dust. Keep in mind that you cannot throw the construction trash with your regular trash. Contact your county to check whether you need specialised bins.
You know very well what to do with the broom. If you are about to use that surface to place any other type of material, tiles or otherwise, you will need to prep it first. Sweep the floors with a hard broom to collect all the remaining bits and pieces.
Handheld sander it there to even out your walls. This is more of a prep work for the new tiles than it is a part of the tile removal, but it is definitely the next step. If you want to do some tiling work in the same place, you will need to sand the surface first.
Pry bars will probably not be necessary with most of the tile removal tools. However, it will be needed if the boards underneath the tiles need to be removed, as well.
The tools for tile removal are not the only tools and gear that you will need. You also need to protect yourself if you are about to do this project on your own. There is going to be dust and debris, and you need to be ready.
Knee pads – Have you ever tried to kneel for too long? If you are about to do your tile removal on the floor using a chisel and hammer, you will spend a lot of time in this position. This hurts the knees a lot. You can use and old blanks or cushions, but the downside is that you always need to move those with you. Knee pads are attached to your knees, and they go everywhere with you.
Protective gloves – Broken and cut tiles can have very sharp edges. Sometimes, they are as sharp as broken glass. That is why you need protective gloves, so you can freely continue your tile removal while not worrying about the remaining fragments and little bits that you can miss.
Face mask – All this dust and debris will become airborne as soon as you start hammering. The old grout and the old adhesives will turn into dust and start flying around, entering your mouth, nose and even ears. Make sure that you have good air circulation when doing your tile removal. Still, wear your mask, even if you open all the doors and windows.
Protective glasses – Put the chisel in the grout, hit it with a hammer and sooner or later, a shard will come flying directly into your eyes. This can cause serious eye injuries, so make sure your eyes are protected with special glasses.
Depending on where your ceramic tile is and how hard it sticks to the wall, the best tools for ceramic tile removal are:
The good old hammer and chisel are the first tools that you should consider when doing your own tile removal, especially if you are removing the wall tiles. These are difficult to reach with any other type of tile removal tool.
If the tiles are very old or they are exposed to direct sun, this tile removal will go smoothly because that usually means the adhesives have dried off, and the tiles are ready to pop up anyway. Place the chisel by the edge of the tile and tap it with your hammer until it breaks off enough to be removed.
In some cases, especially if the mortar has been used as an adhesive, it is very difficult to remove tiles with only a chisel and hammer. This is the case with the tile floors.
As you can see, while tile removal can be done as a DIY project in many cases, other cases require machinery that you simply do not have. The process of tile removal requires a lot of scrubbing, sweeping, and sanding, all in some very difficult body positions.
Have you ever tried to hold your hands above your head for longer than 20 minutes? That will happen if your wall tiles are all the way up to your ceiling.
A good tile remover is worth every single dollar you pay them. You can always find some more interesting DIY projects for yourself than destroying the tiles. If your tile removal is the new phase of your tiling work, discuss the price of tile removal with your tiler.
Usually, you will get a good price on tile removal if that is part of a bigger project. It will simply be included in your cost of tiling.
Ask for several quotes for your tiling work. Get the tilers to offer quotes with and without the tile removal included. You will see that it definitely pays off in time, money and effort to pay a professional with better tools to do it.
