Removing tile from concrete floor

[isuhunter]

What do you guys suggest from removing tile from a concrete floor? I was told a hammer drill would work well with a chisel?

I can borrow one of these from work, do you think it would work? If so, how wide of a chisel? The tiles are hexagon shape 6" wide and approx 20-25 yrs old.

 

[3 Gun Shooter]

That might be what I'm looking for, is it cordless and straight hammer only?

 

[thebeekeeper1]

Depending on the type of tile that will work just fine--or not. A Milwaukee hammer drill will eat through the concrete itself with ease, so you have to be careful.

My wife just finished (last week, thank Gawd!) removing old glued down tile from our kitchen with a scraper called a "hive tool" by beekeepers and a hammer. Long, hard work, but no damage to anything (except her nails) and a great job.

 

[zkling]

Yes, that will work. You can use a flat chisel, but they make tile removal specific chisels that are ~2" wide and have a bent in them to get under the tile without putting the drill on the floor.

Just make sure you have the drill function turned off! (Far left switch selector position in that picture).

 

[dogdog]

I usually use this tile scraper, except for a few stubborn ones I use the heavy duty stuff.... that hammer/drill takes too long...

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Bully-Tools-Floor-Bully-6-in-Flooring-Scraper-91300/100188949

 

[bcradio]

Removing tile is usually a 2 step process.

Step 1: that tool will work for which is actually removing the tile

Step 2: you will be left with thinset covering your entire floor. that tool will not do so well doing that. You will want to rent a much bigger hammer with a wide chisel bit to scrape that up.

Good luck

 

[rick carpenter]

Our 14 yr old porcelain 12x12 tiles were originally put down very poorly. We removed them last summer needing a small compressor and air chisel only in the corners or in 3 or 4 spots where the installers laid down some space shuttle worthy thinset. Elsewhere, about 90% of it, we used elbow grease and a small wrecking bar. Then we went back over it with the chisel for humps.

 

[alfazer]

A spade can be a pretty fast method.

 

[Al Borland]

You may want a bigger tool. Also, this ain't no job for a cordless...
A bigger tool with the right bits will make short work of tile. You will want to get all the thinset up.

 

[Dave455]

Hammer drill will probably work, but it might take longer than you think, and you still wind up with a load of glue left behind!

I've removed a couple of wall tiles with my Fein Multimaster and that's a HUGE improvement on the hammer drill. Quicker, easier, and less mess!

 

[signcrafter]

Some interesting replies so far. You want a corded SDS drill to remove the tile. Like mentioned it is a 2 step process. Chip out and remove the tile and then clean up the thinset. Depending on the quality of the tile job the thinset removal is usually the hardest part. After you rent or buy a decent sized rotary hammer drill get a tile removal bit, they are a 2" wide angled chisel. Chip out all the tiles. Some come out easy in full pieces. Some come up in 1"x1" pieces. Once the tile is out then rent a 6" flat chisel like this, http://www.zoro.com/bosch-scraper-f...AcE5CdRadtRZdhUSZdAbqBoCPN3w_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds. It will get the thinset off and not tear up the concrete. Anymore questions just ask, I've tore out thousands of sq ft of tile and thinset.

Also those recommending a multi tool have never tore out much tile. I'd pay money to watch them try to tear out a 1000 sq ft of tile on concrete floor with a multi tool.

 

[jhelrey]

Use a cross peen hammer. Hit the tile near the edge and keep hammering every two inches. I've had tile pop up easily doing that.

 

[KnurledNut]

Some interesting replies so far. You want a corded SDS drill to remove the tile. Like mentioned it is a 2 step process. Chip out and remove the tile and then clean up the thinset. Depending on the quality of the tile job the thinset removal is usually the hardest part. After you rent or buy a decent sized rotary hammer drill get a tile removal bit, they are a 2" wide angled chisel. Chip out all the tiles. Some come out easy in full pieces. Some come up in 1"x1" pieces. Once the tile is out then rent a 6" flat chisel like this, http://www.zoro.com/bosch-scraper-f...AcE5CdRadtRZdhUSZdAbqBoCPN3w_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds. It will get the thinset off and not tear up the concrete. Anymore questions just ask, I've tore out thousands of sq ft of tile and thinset.

Also those recommending a multi tool have never tore out much tile. I'd pay money to watch them try to tear out a 1000 sq ft of tile on concrete floor with a multi tool.

This.

Also, the weight (and energy) of a spline or sds max rotary will give better results than a sds plus.

 

[dewalt378g]

You didn't mention your kind of tile, but regardless, wear your safety glasses. Heavy glazed ceramic and pretty much all porcelain chip up like glass and the stuff shoots all over the place like shrapnel. You can also throw down an old bath towel (or equivalent) at your working edge to help keep chips from getting airborne in the first place.

 

[isuhunter]

Awesome guys thanks for all the replies. I'll check out my drill options at work tomorrow. There was a large Bosch hammer drill and a dewalt both corded. I'll see if they have just the chisel action.

I started chipping it up with a chisel and hammer. Lots of thinset left. I'll post pics but they are on my other phone.

 

[isuhunter]

 

[dewalt378g]

Here's what the chisel looks like,

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WA99IW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

There are other variants, but just make sure you get the right shank for your tool. Keep the tip of the chisel in the thinset layer and just let it "ride" in that layer if you can.

 

[drink]

You might consider a floor scraper among other tools.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/QEP-7-in-Wide-Floor-Tear-Out-Scraper-75006Q/100193678

 

[panknuckshovel]

Up your insurance and light a fire.

 

[isuhunter]

They should carry that chisel at Home Depot, right? I looked at our local farm store and no luck.

 

[404]

I have this, it allows the user to stand while working.

42 in. Long Reach Air Scraper

http://www.harborfreight.com/42-in-long-reach-air-scraper-69236.html

It can also dig in dirt, and remove roof shingles.

 

[beetlespin]

Move

 

[signcrafter]

They should carry that chisel at Home Depot, right? I looked at our local farm store and no luck.

I can't remember if HD has the tile SDS chisels or not. I believe lowes does. But the will be sds plus, not sds max. Need to find out if the drill you are using is sds plus or sds max. Menards is the only store around here that carries any sds max bits. Besides the supply houses.

Also the tile bit isn't a must. A standard 2" or so chisel bit will work fine in an SDS for removing tile. Just have to get the angle of the drill right. You chisel a bit and then lift up and pop the tiles. Like I said before depending on how good of a job the installer did some will pop full tiles right off, some will take a lot of effort to get little pieces to chip off.

Call a rental store for the 6" scraper bit to get the thinset off. It's well worth the 12 bucks or so they will charge for the day. Again make sure the bit and drill are compatible. I used to rent one when needed until I bought my own, they are pretty expensive.

What flooring are you planning on putting down afterwards?

 

[isuhunter]

Here is one option.

This dewalt is much larger and heavy.


What would you use?

 

[bcradio]

Signcrafter knows what he is talking about. I have also done probably 10s of thousands of feet of removal myself and own all of the tools needed (sds max hammer, tile remover bit, scraper). What you have in your picture with the hammer/chisel is about 3 seconds worth of work with an SDS max hammer.

Definitely go with the bigger hammer... you'll need SDS max or spline

 

[isuhunter]

Signcrafter knows what he is talking about. I have also done probably 10s of thousands of feet of removal myself and own all of the tools needed (sds max hammer, tile remover bit, scraper). What you have in your picture with the hammer/chisel is about 3 seconds worth of work with an SDS max hammer.

Definitely go with the bigger hammer... you'll need SDS max or spline

So the dewalt?

 

[isuhunter]

I can't remember if HD has the tile SDS chisels or not. I believe lowes does. But the will be sds plus, not sds max. Need to find out if the drill you are using is sds plus or sds max. Menards is the only store around here that carries any sds max bits. Besides the supply houses.

Also the tile bit isn't a must. A standard 2" or so chisel bit will work fine in an SDS for removing tile. Just have to get the angle of the drill right. You chisel a bit and then lift up and pop the tiles. Like I said before depending on how good of a job the installer did some will pop full tiles right off, some will take a lot of effort to get little pieces to chip off.

Call a rental store for the 6" scraper bit to get the thinset off. It's well worth the 12 bucks or so they will charge for the day. Again make sure the bit and drill are compatible. I used to rent one when needed until I bought my own, they are pretty expensive.

What flooring are you planning on putting down afterwards?

I think we will be laying tile again on a small portion carpet for 90% of the area.

 

[bcradio]

So the dewalt?

Do you know if it is sds max? whats the model #?

 

[isuhunter]

Yes its a max

 

[isuhunter]

The SDS max is a BEAST with a bosch 3" chisel. WOW

 

[signcrafter]

The SDS max is a BEAST with a bosch 3" chisel. WOW

Yep, one of those things where the right tool for the job makes all the difference. Once you find the right angle to work it things go fast. If you have a lot of thinset left after the tile is up call your local rental shop they should have a 6" scraper blade that will clean it up real nice. Should be 10-15 bucks for the day.