Removing Ceramic Tile

Remove ceramic tile from a bed of mortar.

Removing ceramic tile.

Use a ball peen or masonry hammer and cold chisel to tap the pieces free. Chisel down through the bed to the tar paper. Then tap the tiles with a chisel starting in the middle and working your way out. Remove ceramic tile from plywood.

If the tile is stuck to plywood the strategy is a little different. It should come up fairly easily. This time we show you the do s and don ts in floor removal plus learn some important installation tips from the mistakes the last installer made. Once you get some of the tile pulled away use your chisel to get behind the tile and tap it sideways to remove the rest.

Always wear safety glasses when removing ceramic tile. Removing ceramic tiles the easy way using a demolition hammer easy to use and reasonable rental rates make this tool a life saver during light demo work li. If it s a mortar bed. A wide blade putty knife is helpful in prying the tiles loose.

Tiles installed with thinset or another tile adhesive often require more work to remove them. There are only a few ways to remove ceramic tiles in this situation. Then use a big flatbar or similar demolition tool to pry up chunks of mortar and tile. However it s a back breaking labor intensive project and you risk damaging the base if you re not careful.

In some cases the only way to tear out the ceramic tile is with heavy equipment such as a jackhammer or air chisel.