Remove wall tiles without b*ggering the wall

[DS3R]

Any hints and tips to achieve this?

i've known some bathroom fitters to have this knack of being able to take the tiles off and leave a pretty perfect surface, and would rather do that if I could...

[944fan]

Usually if they come off without damaging a plaster/pb wall it is because they were installed by a fking moron originally and they just pop off. If they are adhered properly then it can be a right bugger to get them off.

I have found the best thing to use is a utility bar. You can get them in B & Q for a fiver. It is like a small crowbar with sharp edges. Use a club hammer to tap the curved end behind the tile and then yank it off the wall. If it is stuck fast then you may have to leaver against the wall which will damage it a bit, but then the tile will do worse when it comes off. Unless you completeley wreck the wall you can fill small holes and gashes with tile adhesive before installing the new tiles.

[BigTom85]

Agreed - as above if they've adhered properly to the substrate you'll be damaging the wall getting them off for certain.

[steve1]

Depending on how big an area you are talking about then sometimes it's quicker and easier to just simply remove the plasterboard complete with tiles, then replace the board and fit new tiles.
Sounds a bit over the top, but the mess left behind if you try and remove the tiles can be horrendous.

[DS3R]

They were put on 43 years ago, and as I'm finding with the rest of the place, very little was done properly.

As the windows were last opened 42 years ago (by the look of the black gunge around the window), some are doing a good job of coming away by themselves, I'm just hesitant to hack if there are techniques I can use to minimise the mess.

I'll get tooled up from B&Q and see what happens- the utility bar sounds pretty useful- thanks 944- if the worst comes to the worst, I will take the board off (thanks steve1), which it may do by itself!

[Simpo Two]

Conclusion of my experience:

Brick/block: Chisel/hack off and replaster
Plasterboard: Cut out whole panels and start again.

[Hugo a Gogo]

I've got a tiled patio area, hideous brown 70s things, with tiled steps too

they're starting to come loose at the edges, and a few big patches seemed to have frost under them in the winter, i'm not looking forward to replacing them, cos you can bet the ones that aren't loose will be fking welded on

[Pixel Pusher]

944fan said:

If it is stuck fast then you may have to leaver against the wall which will damage it a bit

Hold a piece of wood against the wall behind the pry bar and lever against that. It spreads the contact point and doesn't sink into the PB.

[Bri957]

In a similar vein, I need to replace a number of tiles in our bathroom and toilet. The majority are plain white (which I don't mind and can stay), however a few have a god awful 80's pattern on and need to go.

What is the best way of smashing out individual tiles (pro-installed and are not falling off) without damaging the surrounding tiling?

[Pixel Pusher]

Bri957 said:

In a similar vein, I need to replace a number of tiles in our bathroom and toilet. The majority are plain white (which I don't mind and can stay), however a few have a god awful 80's pattern on and need to go.

What is the best way of smashing out individual tiles (pro-installed and are not falling off) without damaging the surrounding tiling?

Start with a grout rake and clean around and isolate the tile.

Try to knock off a corner of the offending tile with a small bolster. If / when that snaps off, try to get a flexible blade down behind, such as a small filler blade or putty knife.

[GreenDog]

Pixel Pusher said:

Start with a grout rake and clean around and isolate the tile.

Try to knock off a corner of the offending tile with a small bolster. If / when that snaps off, try to get a flexible blade down behind, such as a small filler blade or putty knife.

Drill the centre of the tile and use the bolster to crack the tile from the middle outwards. Read that somewhere years ago but have never had to put it into practice.

[Mandat]

When I did my kitchen (DIY) a few years ago I found that the tiles were stuck fast to the plasterboard and that it was easier to remove the plasterboard panels with the tiles attached, and then to piece in new plasterboard as required.

Some pics of the works in progress:

[fido]

GreenDog said:

Drill the centre of the tile and use the bolster to crack the tile from the middle outwards. Read that somewhere years ago but have never had to put it into practice.

Ah cheers for that. I need to do this next week. Rectifying a kitchen tile that doesn't match the rest. It's for a house sale so i want to spend as little as possible! Haven't discussed with builder yet, but i did think of using a drill.

[MJG280]

You can buy tile drills which work better and then use a wider masonary drill

[Bri957]

Thanks for the advice regarding the drill, will give it a go...