Tile removal with Air Chisel?

[PinkLinc]

I need to remove about 200 sq. ft. of 16 inch tiles from my kitchen. I've never done this before and was wondering if an air chisel with a wide, flat blade would be a decent way of doing it. I know I could rent a demo hammer but then I have to pick it up, pay for it, drop it off and have nothing to show for it. Thought maybe I could buy myself this IR and use that instead since it's a relatively small patch of tile. What do you guys think?

 

[mayday0017]

Might try busting some of it apart using a sledge first could be shocked by how quick it goes. I recently pulled up the builders ceramic tile and found they put tar paper down on the floor with a light bit of glue then tiled over the top. It had been this way for 12 years and wasn't a crack or any other problems in the tile. Ended up able to peel the ceramics off in big sections and then throw them away. I have also removed tile with just a BFH, cut the groute lines first then smack each tile a couple times and they "pop up". All of this being said your route sounds like a good way of doing it to me and if they are not laid on top of tar paper it sounds like it could be a real time saver compaired to cutting and smacking each one!

 

[ironmutt]

lowes has got a chisel blade for sawsalls that work great for that but use corded not battery or you spend all day changeing batteries

 

[PinkLinc]

Thanks Mayday. I wouldn't be surprised if the builder did that here too. Everything else in this house was done as cheap as possible...

 

[Baada]

HomeDepot rents a walk behind tool specifically for this. Way easier than hands and knees.

http://www.homedepotrents.com/proTools/tile_stripper.asp?cm_sp=tool_rental-_-overlayC-_-floor_stripper

 

[1949 caddyman]

I did use an air hammer with a wide flat bit that i got from the snap on man. It worked good but i was removing 8" tile.

 

[Chuck W.]

HomeDepot rents a walk behind tool specifically for this. Way easier than hands and knees.

http://www.homedepotrents.com/proTools/tile_stripper.asp?cm_sp=tool_rental-_-overlayC-_-floor_stripper

Man I wish I had know about this last year. I took out 700 sf of heavy tile with a large air hammer. Kicked my ****!

 

[Professur]

Depending on whether or not you want to save the sub-floor, avoid using a sledge.

 

[PinkLinc]

700 sq. ft. sounds rough with the air chisel method. I wouldn't even consider that. Not really worried about the subfloor (if there is one) as I'm going to go the self leveling/polished concrete route throughout the main living area and kitchen. This is all new to me and I'm in demo mode now. Just pulled the old nasty carpet. Big crack in the slab running the width of the house. Not sure how big a deal that is.

 

[rsanter]

It will work fine, in fact HF has an air chisel that is like 3ft long with a wide blade that is meant for tile and linoleum removal

Bob

 

[onelochevy]

I used a HF air chisel to remove the floor when I remodeled my bathroom. Worked like a champ. I'll be using it again when I re-do the guest bathroom and kitchen floors as well.