How to remove bathroom tiles and not make a big mess

Are you tired of your old bathroom tiles and won’t replace them yourself? You are in the right place: Here we show you how you can remove bathroom tiles yourself without causing major problems.

You need the following:

• Plastic tarpaulin
• Garbage can
• working gloves
• hammer
• Safety glasses and protection
• mask
• chisel
• Chisels
• spatula

Sure, this task can cause a big mess if you’re not careful, and you should definitely be prepared for the mess. However, if you have experience and knowledge in DIY, this task shouldn’t be such a big problem. It doesn’t require any special skills, just that if you do it can cause quite a bit of chaos.

The old tile could crack and there could be a lot of dust, flaking and other debris that you need to deal with. Fortunately, you can avoid much of it by working slowly and carefully, with the right tools, protection, and good preparation. If you don’t want to make a big mess but still want to remove it yourself, you can easily do so. Here’s how to remove bathroom tiles without causing big problems.

Prepare properly

• First you have to prepare everything to make your life easier. First clear the room of free-standing objects such as tables or other objects that you can remove with little effort. This way you not only have more space to work, but also get rid of the unwanted items in your house.

• Next, you should put some plastic sheeting over the area next to where you will be doing your work. These tarpaulins can be very effective in collecting falling debris and falling tiles, and you can easily remove them later. Preparation is the key to avoid the big mess. Also have trash cans ready to dispose of the materials immediately.

• Don’t forget to close the drain! If you want to keep the tile to yourself or sell it later, you should protect it as much as possible. You can do this by placing a few sheets around the work area; Not only to keep the tile intact, you also need to be careful when the parts fall off. If they break at a strange angle, they can create depressions in the tub.

• Close the ventilation slots. The ventilation system can easily clog due to the dust that can escape during the procedure. You can close the ventilation slots with plastic film or painter’s tape.
• Remove cladding work in the room or any furniture that you can. This way, once the new tile is installed, you can easily reinstall it and avoid possible damage.
• For distribution system owners: you should turn off the valve to your bathroom before starting work. To do this, find the distribution lines near the main water supply. Then find the pipe for your bathroom and look for the valve. Then turn the valve to the “Off” position.

• For owners of copper pipes: find the valve under the sink and turn it off. You should also turn off the toilet valve and the shower valve. This can be in the wall behind the shower.

The scope of the task at hand depends on the type of tile you have. If you have ceramic tiles, you can remove them from the wall without significantly damaging the tiles. If the tiles are fixed more firmly, you simply cannot avoid damage and deposits.

This is a messy project and you can even damage the ceiling under the tile. If you are unsure about the removal of the tiles, you should ask a professional to do so to avoid damage. You can try removing one or two, but if you find that you can’t do it, let a professional do it for you.

Now let’s look at how to remove bathroom tiles.

How to remove bathroom tiles

Start somewhere

You have to choose a starting point. A good rule of thumb to start with is to locate where the tile is already inconsistent or partially removed. This is usually done under a vanity or similar device. Also check the tile and find the places where it may already have cracks. It is also a good place to start.

In most cases, however, you won’t find such a place, so you’ll have to create it yourself. In this case, starting in the corner of a room or door can be a good place to start. However, make sure that the tile does not continue in the next room.

Remove mortar and sealant

The first step in removing the tile is to first remove and seal the mortar. In most cases, you can do this with a simple utility knife, although this isn’t always the case. You can soften the seal with a hot air gun to make removal easier.

Once you have removed sealant and grout, you should try removing the tile with a spatula. Here you can see if the task can be done by you. If the tile is easy to peel off, you will most likely be able to do the rest of the work yourself. If not, you can consider the help of a professional.

Removing the cement behind the tile requires a special product or chemical called methylene chloride base. Be careful with this chemical as the vapors are toxic. So be careful.

Remove the toilet

Note that removing the toilet is not a necessary step. You only need to remove it if it covers the tiles. First, don’t forget to close the toilet valve if you have one. Once the valve is closed, you will want to rinse the toilet until it is completely dry. You may want to use a sponge to dry it out.

Then start removing the toilet. You need a wrench for this. As soon as the toilet comes loose, place it on old towels to avoid the clutter it can leave. However, the tank and bowl should still be attached. The toilet can be fairly rigid, so you may need to rock it back and forth.

There will also be wax rings that connect the bottom of the toilet to the drain pipes. remove it. This will be a messy job, so wear gloves since the wax wax rings are quite sticky. Set the tool accessories aside.

Also replace the wax ring. If you reinstall the toilet, you can insert new wax rings. Finally, block the duct gases by plugging the hole with a rag.

How to remove bathroom tiles

Now we come to the main task: Here you will learn how to remove bathroom tiles without causing too much clutter.

You can remove your first tile with the blunt edge of the hammer. Once the tile has broken open, you should remove the rest of the tile with a hammer and chisel. It might take some strength, but it should be relatively easy to solve.

You may want to clear up the mess while you work, so toss the larger pieces of tile into the bucket or trash can you want on hand. Once you’ve removed enough tiles, you can use a long-handled floor scraper or pneumatic hammer to do more work at the same time. This way you can remove more tiles while working.

This will be the most difficult part of the job. You should remove them one by one and carefully. But don’t worry, if the tiles break, make sure they fall on the plastic wrap or put them in the bucket.

Remove underpayment

Under the tiles you will find a kind of underlay. This may not be the case in basements, but bathrooms or other rooms in your home are more likely to be underpaid.

If the pad is in poor condition, you should also remove it completely. Use a screw gun to remove them and remove all screws in the bottom. Then pry off the edges with a flat shovel.

Cleaning touches

Once the sub-floor is exposed, you want to start cleaning the dirt. This can be a long process.

Remove any glue that may have been left with a flat shovel or chisel and hammer. You should then remove the screws and any other remaining documents. Before you start laying a new floor, you should have the wooden surface completely clean and free of documents.

You can remove the smaller pieces of dirt with a vacuum cleaner. You want to remove the parts thoroughly before you start working on the new floor. This is important because it not only makes your work easier, but also makes it more effective.

So there you have it. How to remove bathroom tiles without causing too much clutter.

Tip: protect yourself

Protecting yourself is as important as using the right tools for the job. The tile pieces can be sharp, especially if they break at strange angles. Therefore, wear your gloves, protective suit, safety glasses and even a mask, as the process contains a lot of dust.

Another tip is, if your house was built before 1978, you may want to test your bathroom walls if they are durable enough.

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