Removing Bathroom Floor Tile Mortar

The edges of broken tile can be very sharp so work carefully and cover surfaces with a drop sheet for protection.

Removing bathroom floor tile mortar.

Chisel through tile surfacing and the mortar bed in a small section using a cold chisel and hammer. However if they were set in mortar follow these steps for proper tile flooring removal. Hit the tile in the center with a hammer. Demoing tile mortar metal mesh in the bathroom walls when we say we re tackling a room it s usually a figure of speech but in this case it s pretty close to being a literal description of our big bathroom demolition weekend check out this post for more info on why we re doing it and this post for our plan for the space.

Make sure to apply pressure to the areas with the thickest layer of thin set. Break up the first tile with a hammer. Even modern tiles often use lead glaze which creates lead dust during removal. Test old tiles and mortar for asbestos and if asbestos is found hire a professional to remove the tiles safely.

Pay special attention to areas that may have excess mortar such as grout lines on a tile floor and grout joints on a tiled backer board. Spray the area with the vinegar and wipe down with the sponge. If the old tile was laid on underlayment cut through the underlayment and mortar but not the subfloor. Gently use a scraper or razor blade to work unusually thick areas.

Chisel through the mortar until the underlying substrate is reached and identified.