Remove Ceramic Wall Tiles Without Breaking Them

Learn how to remove tiles without breaking them so they can be used in another part of the house.

Remove ceramic wall tiles without breaking them.

The first tile is always the hardest one to remove and as such is the one most likely to break. Scrape the grout away with a utility knife. Removing ceramic floor tile is tedious and rigorous especially if you are planning on reusing them. If the tiles are firmly attached you may not be able to remove them without breaking but here s how to give it a try.

Start by removing all the grout using a grout saw rotary cutter oscillating tool or utility knife. Fit your utility knife in a sturdy holder if you have one and run it carefully and repeatedly around the tile or tiles you plan to remove. The only way to remove tiles set in mortar may be to break them and then scrape off the mortar bed. However you can usually remove ceramic floor tiles without breaking them as long as you are very careful and use the proper materials.

Drywall preparation some ceramic wall tiles lift off the drywall and leave little indication. The combination of strong adhesive bonding the. A hammer a good chisel with two ends and a scraper. Step 3 remove the ceramic floor tiles.

Tiling once attached is designed to remain in place so removing tiles without damaging them is difficult. Of course that you can do this operation mechanically by using a drill machine with hammering function but if you want to remove the tiles without breaking them it is better to do it by hand. Salvaging ceramic tiles is never guaranteed as they can break easily. Rip off two pieces and cross them in the center of each tile so as you are trying to pry them off the floor the masking tape can absorb the vibrations and minimize the risk of cracking.

This method takes a while but comes with a low risk of damaging the surrounding tiles. In order to remove wall tiles one needs several tools.