Tile floor construction work has to be done with great care, but removing stone tile floors requires more effort and care. It depends on how efficient you are at removing it. No matter how it is constructed, you need to do the job carefully and with special care. For this, you need to know how to remove stone tile floors with the right method.
If you want to do this complex task of removing the stone tile floor yourself, you need to have the necessary tools. Without having enough knowledge about it, do not start removing stone tile floors suddenly, as they may get damaged. Now you will surely want to find out the method.
In this article, you are going to know everything about removing the stone tile floor.
9 Easy Steps To Remove Stone Tile Floor:
To remove the stone tile floor, you need strong preparation because you will not be able to get the job done if you do not know how to use the tools you need to use. If you are a bit skilled, this guide may help you become fully proficient.
So, let’s get to know the steps:
Step-1: Gather Necessary Equipment
The first step in removing a stone tile floor is to gather the necessary tools without which the task will be impossible. The tools you need to collect are angle grinder, hammer, chisel, pry bar, scraper, trash can, and broom or shop vac.
As a beginner, you may not know what tools you need to remove the tile floor. In this case, you can take the help of an expert. If there is a lack of equipment, you can also get supplies from him.
Step-2: Removing The Fixtures
The first step is to clean the area where you want to remove the tiles. If there is any fixture in the place, it needs to be removed. Suppose, you want to remove the stone tiles in the bathroom, you should remove the sink or toilet fixed on the floor.
Remember you need to turn off the water supply before removing these. Be careful to remove the fixers properly so that they cannot be damaged. After removing the fixers properly, go to the next step.
Step-3: Generating A Starting Point
You need to decide where to start. Since the fixers have already been removed, the space is empty and it is easier to determine a starting point. Use a hammer and chisel to create a starting point. In this case, mark the location of the joint of the two tiles.
Now you will need an angle grinder to loosen the joint space of the tile. Start it slowly and run it by placing it on the joint. Then try to clear the bottom with a chisel and a hammer so that they can be easily removed.
Step-4: Removing The Tiles
Slowly remove the tiles with the pry bar from the starting point you set. When using the pry bar, make sure that the bottom part of the tile is firmly attached to the floor. If stuck, it can break as a result of pulling.
Remove the tiles and pile them in the same place. To avoid this, store the tiles in a big bucket. Since the stone tiles are heavy, it will not be easy to move the bucket after filling it. To do this, place the bucket where some tiles have already been removed.
Step-5: Accessing The Underlayment
You must have access to the underlayment as the stone tiling may be directly attached to the sub-floor. Improper underlayments should be removed as they can be harmful to your tiles and prevent safe tile removal.
If you think the underlayments are reusable, you can store them somewhere. So far, you have to go through the whole process carefully.
Step-6: Using Safety Tools
Regardless of the method of removing tiles from the floor surface, all safety precautions should be taken to avoid personal injury during work. In addition to collecting tile removal tools, keep some safety equipment with you.
Safety goggles can protect your eyes from small pieces that may form during breakage and thick gloves protect your hands. Not even a respirator will be extra – the fine dust that comes into the lungs will cause a lot of problems.
Step-7: Clearing The Ruins
This is an important step where you need to get rid of unwanted dirt. You can imagine that a large part of the place is dirty even though you kept the tiles in the bucket when you removed them. There is a lot of dirt that needs to be removed until the tiles are emptied and removed.
You will either replace the stone tile or remove it altogether. Whatever you do, after removing the tiles, you need a clean place for the next job. Clean the dust with a broom.
Step-8: Take Aside The Uncovered Nails
Typically, tiles are laid in adhesive or cement-sand mortar. If cement were to be used, you should immediately reject the idea of maintaining the integrity of the tile during disassembly. The adhesive way of laying allows you to separate the tile from the floor surface without damage.
However, after removing the tiles, some exposed nails may fall on your eyes, remove these too. Failure to do so may result in damage to your legs while walking.
Step-9: Inspect The Sub Floor
At this stage, you need to inspect the floor after removing the tiles. If the old tiles are in good condition, you can re-install them. But if these are in bad condition, then bring new tiles. First, make sure your floor tiles are suitable for replacement.
Make sure that the floor space is level or that the floor is covered with excess dirt. More dirt and uneven space can hinder your next step. So, inspect the floor before installing the tile and try to make it work again if necessary.
7 Tips To Remove Stone Tile Floor Without Breaking:
Even if you follow the steps to remove the tiles properly, you may still lack some information. You may need to avoid some subtle but important things in time because your carelessness can damage your stone tiles or even break them.
Tip-1: Doing so can be risky if you have no prior experience removing tiles. In this case, you take the help of an experienced tile mason.
Tip-2: While tile removal is difficult, it may seem easy once the final step is reached. But start slowly and finish in a well-planned way.
Tip-3: Do not try to remove the tile joint by pulling it by hand after opening it. Firstly it is almost impossible; secondly, they are heavy and tightly stuck so that you can get injured in hand.
Tip-4: You should not use too much energy, as this can damage the tiles and even your sub-floor.
Tip-5: Don’t keep dirty things on the floor too long. Please pick them up in the bucket and throw them in the dustbin. If the removed tiles are used for any further purpose, place them elsewhere.
Tip-6: Use masking tape that will absorb the vibrations generated when opening the tile and avoid the risk of cracking.
Tip-7: The whole process may take longer than you expected, but get it done.
3 Reasons Of Hiring Professionals To Remove Stone Tile Floor:
Hiring a professional may not be a logical solution when trying to save money. While it is possible to remove it by yourself, you can often doubt whether it will be possible to remove it successfully. While hiring a professional is a costly option, it also ensures that your work is well done. Below is a description of why a professional should be assigned:
1. To Get Professional Care
The difference between doing it yourself and being a professional is that you only pay attention to removing the tiles when you do it yourself, so the rest of your house becomes chaotic and dirty. On the other hand, when a professional is doing this, you do not have to worry about it as he is experienced.
When you are removing the stone tile yourself, it is not sure that the subfloor will not be damaged. A professional adopts techniques to avoid damage to the subfloor during removal.
2. To Avoid Self-Harm
You may be able to remove the tiles, but since you are not a professional, you may not be able to perform exactly like them. Professionals, in particular, know what strategies or precautions they need to take when performing difficult tasks.
It would be wise to call a professional if you are concerned about your safety. Even though it will cost you something more, you can still safely break the tile and avoid harming yourself.
3. To Fix Timespans
Although removing the stone tiles yourself is possible, there is still uncertainty about getting the job done on time. Since you are doing the work yourself, you may want to do more personal work or take a break. This will make your work time longer.
When a professional does the job, he tells you how long it will take. You are assured that your work will be completed within a specified time without any errors. This is one of the great benefits of hiring professionals. You probably won’t have to worry about the cost with that in mind.
The Cost Of Removing A Stone Tile Floor: [You Should Know]
The cost of removing the tile floor depends on how big the area is. It usually costs 1.50 to $ 4.15 per sq. foot. Suppose, the size of your room or kitchen or bathroom is medium or small; in this case, your cost will be a little less.
However, if your area is large, you must spend more. If you hire a professional, you can get a contract for hours. In this case, Tilers charge between $45 and $150. However, they may include a tile removal fee as part of the package in many cases. The cost of removing a stone tile floor and a ceramic floor is the same.
When hiring a professional, call a team that will complete both the tile removal and the replacement. The advantage of this is that giving two jobs to the same team can lower your costs a bit. On the other hand, if you hire separate people for two jobs, both will claim separately, and your cost may also be a bit higher.
Related Questions About Removing Stone Tile Floor:
How Hard Is It To Remove A Stone Tile Floor?
Removing a stone tile floor is undoubtedly a bit of a difficult task, but one needs to be done meticulously. If you try to do it yourself, you must know the ways and use them properly; otherwise, there is a risk of breaking the tiles.
Professionals usually know the related issues and apply their strategies in different steps. As a result, the work is likely to be completed easily and in less time.
Can I Remove A Stone Tile Flooring Myself?
Moving the stone tile floor is possible for you to apply the right method. Also, if you can do it and want to save money, it would be wise not to go for professional options. At the same time, you will gain more skills in this task and will be able to do the next task more accurately.
Give yourself a little time and try your best to perfect the task without being a professional. Removing tiles for long periods is a bit inconvenient as it also makes the rest of your area dirty. So set a time to finish the job.
What Tools Are Used To Remove A Stone Tile Floor?
So, what tools are you using to remove the Stone Tile Floor? Before you decide to do the work yourself, make sure you have the necessary tools. If not, collect them, then start working.
In this case, the tools you need to use are an angle grinder, hammer, chisel, pry bar, scraper, trash can, and broom or shop vac. You will need one or two tools at each step.
How Long Does It Take To Remove A Stone Tile Floor?
Removing the tile floor is a matter of time, but not more than 1 or 2 days. A professional can easily get the job done within this time, but amateurs may need more time, such as 3 or 4 days or more.
If you have to finish the job urgently, seek the help of a professional as it will not be possible to finish it safely on time without an experienced team. If time is not a problem, then do it yourself.
Final Words
Hopefully, you have enough information about how to remove the stone tile floor. Removing one or more stone floor tiles without damaging the other side of the tiles can be a daunting task for many people to do on their own. So, of course, you like to express yourself as much as possible before any exchange.
Completely removing an intact stone tile is complicated enough. If you follow the steps mentioned above properly, you will be able to keep your tile floor intact. Otherwise, hire a professional.
Check-out more related article:
How To Install Carpet Tiles? [The Best Way To Do It]
8 Groundbreaking Tile Floor Design Modules: Pieces To Perfection!
One thought on “How To Remove A Stone Tile Floor? [Step By Step Guide]”