Help! Need to know if there is a way to remove ceramic tile without breaking it so that it can be reused. A remodeling project has resulted in some broken tile and we are unable to get more of it as it is now discontinued. In order to avoid replaceing the entire entryway I need to remove a pathway from the doorway to the living room that will be replaced with a coordinating tile and allow me to reuse the removed tile. I really don't want to replace this tile (Laufen Palladium 12x12 Cinnabar) as the colors go with everything and I only need 1 tile inorder to do the coordinating thing. Thanks for any help!
yes, you need to relieve the stress of the tiles and cut through the grout joints to pry them up.
There is no guarantee and depends on the tile, setting mortars used, and care used when trying to remove them, to determine success.
just go slow and work each side of the tile after you have removed the grout, and most will pop full.
We use a diamond blad on a 4-1/2" angle grinder to cut through and remove the grout, and a small 1/4" cold chisel; and a light hammer to gently tap under each side of the tile a little at a time until it pops.
good luck.
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There are two ways to do any job. The right way and the wrong way. Do it right everytime.
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http://flooringworld.org
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There is no guarantee and depends on the tile, setting mortars used, and care used when trying to remove them, to determine success.
just go slow and work each side of the tile after you have removed the grout, and most will pop full.
We use a diamond blad on a 4-1/2" angle grinder to cut through and remove the grout, and a small 1/4" cold chisel; and a light hammer to gently tap under each side of the tile a little at a time until it pops.
good luck.
_____________________________________________
There are two ways to do any job. The right way and the wrong way. Do it right everytime.
_____________________________________________
http://flooringworld.org
_____________________________________________
I just finished cleaning old ceramic bathroom floor tiles and found the following products the safest and most effective for cleaning: To clean mortar I soaked tiles in vinegar (sometime several days for tough patches) and scraped the mortar off with a paint scraper. I needed to repeat this process on a few tiles. The acidic vinegar works well and is safe.
Caulk removal was a bit harder, but after trying many chemicals listed on various DIY sites, I found Goof-off worked well and had less odor than WD40, which also worked pretty well. My tile had a matte glaze, which made it more difficult to clean, but not impossible. After scraping off most of the caulk with a razor blade, I sprayed the product and scrubbed with a plastic mesh scrubbie. The hardest part was cleaning the greasy tile afterward which was accomplished by lots of soap and hot water, then a final cleaning with alcohol.
Caulk removal was a bit harder, but after trying many chemicals listed on various DIY sites, I found Goof-off worked well and had less odor than WD40, which also worked pretty well. My tile had a matte glaze, which made it more difficult to clean, but not impossible. After scraping off most of the caulk with a razor blade, I sprayed the product and scrubbed with a plastic mesh scrubbie. The hardest part was cleaning the greasy tile afterward which was accomplished by lots of soap and hot water, then a final cleaning with alcohol.