How To Remove Kitchen Tiles

When we talk about home renovation, the last thing on our mind is the kitchen. While all of us look forward to refurbishing our drawing room, bedroom and even bathroom, kitchen gets the royal ignore. This is because most of the people consider its overhauling a major chore, especially with all the tiles that have to be removed. We are here to make kitchen remodeling a very easy task for you, by presenting simple and effortless steps of removing kitchen tiles. Whether you have vinyl flooring, ceramic countertops or assorted countertops, the following tips are sure to come handy. 

 

 

In order to remove vinyl flooring, you will have to start at a seam. Take your long handle scraper and push it underneath the seam, at about a 45 degree angle. Now, try to pry it upwards. In case it does not come off easily, use a heat gun and loosen the glue. After the flooring has been removed, use the drywall knife to scrape up the remaining bits of glue. Finally, clean the surface with the help of soapy water and your scraper.

 

In case of linoleum tiles, you will be required to start by removing the baseboards. The utility knife will come to your rescue. Keeping your pulling hand as close as possible to the vinyl, start at one end, ripping the tile as you go. For removing the ripped off pieces of the tiles as well as any residual glue, sheetrock knife will come handy. Finally, clean the surface thoroughly and wash with the help of soapy water.

 

In case you have used ceramic tiles in your kitchen, you will have to first remove moldings and plumbing fixtures, if any. Now, wear safety glasses as loose tile fragments might hit you. Take a masonry chisel and tap it underneath a tile at the grout with a mallet. After the tile comes off, clean off any remaining grout and sand, with the help of a long handled floor scraper. Smooth the surface with a belt sander and clean with mop and warm water.

 

In case it is a tile backsplash that you want to remove, start by using a hammer to make a sharp tap on the middle tile. After the tile breaks, use a flat screwdriver to pry out its pieces. After majority of the tile comes off, shimmy a heavy duty putty knife under the other tiles and lift them out. The tiles will come out easily. If any tile refuses to come off, soak it in sudsy water and remove the adhesive. Then, pry it gently. After all the tiles are removed, clean the surface thoroughly.