Removing Wall Tile
Many people say the worst part about remodeling a bathroom is removing wall tile. Removing wall tiles can be extremely difficult, or can actually be quite easy. Nevertheless, you’re in for quite a job when attempting to remove bathroom wall tile. It requires a lot of begging, some crying, and a strong back to get a done in a timely manner.
Some of the basic tools you’ll need for removing all tile are a hammer, prybar, chisel, gloves, and possibly sledgehammer. Depending on how deep you want to go with your bathroom remodel, attempting to simply waives the tile off of the drywall may be possible, but chances are you will tear the drywall off while attempting to remove ceramic wall tile, or any wall tile for that matter.
You can bet for the most part the each tile you try to remove will break or chip, so do not plan on trying to reuse file that you have taken off the wall. If there is a bed of concrete poured up the walls that the tile is installed on, your only chance for removing the wall tile, is remove the mortar wall as well. This is where the hammer, or sledgehammer will come into play. Simply break the tile all the way through the mortar wall in between studs from floor to ceiling. After you have broken on the tile off the wall where you can reach your hands behind the tile, grab with both hands, and slowly rocked the wall back and forth to break the mortar loose from the nails that hold it in place.
The bigger this section that you can break off at a time, the easier it is to work a loose from the walls. If you can have someone help you to shake, or rock the wall back and forth, you could take an entire wall off in one piece. Be careful not to cut yourself, because the mortar wall behind the tile, is held up by a wire mesh that will cut you very easily.
If you are wishing to simply remove just a small back splash, or wall tile decorations, the best way to remove wall tile in this regard is to use a prybar and lightly wedge them off of the wall. Remember that you are likely to damage the drywall, so if you were going to replace the old tile with new tile, you should plan on replacing it with a larger tile so that it will cover any damage you may have caused on the wall.
