Hello:
I have a bathroom floor with the older style small squares ceremic floor.
What is the best way to remove it without too much effort, even if I have to buy a tool. Time is important because this will be a weekend job.
If there is s tool that I need, please let me know what the name of the tool is.
Last question, putting ceremic tiles on the wall. Should the drywall be removed and put backing board on it without drywall. The drywall has water damage and will have to be removed.
Do I put new drywall and then the backerboard or just the backerboard. I just want to do it the right durable way. It is not a matter of cost.
Your recommendation, advice, idea, help is greatly appreciated.
God Bless and Thank you,
Moataz.
Replies
demo hammer with a tile chisel...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Demoing a tile floor usually requires much effort, no way around it. If area is small, put on your goggles and smack it up with a sledge. Goggles (not just garden variety safety glasses) are essential. Flying ceramic chips are like broken glass. If you are lucky, you will be able to find some seams in the subfloor and will be able to pry up in small sections.
If the walls are in a shower, cement backer board right over the studs (without new drywall) is best. Outside the shower, gypsum board is ok.
Well, firstly, who is going to do the new tile work on the floor?
Your tiler may be able to go directly over the old 1" tiles. But, if you really want them off......
Go to a tool rental center and get a rotary hammer and a straight chisel bit. Make sure you have them show you how to use it.
If it's your bathroom, remove the toilet and put a big enough towel into the waste stack so nothing can go down.
Make sure you have GOOD safety goggles, dust masks, and hearing protection. Also make sure there is plastic on everything you want protected. It's easier to do it now than clean it later.
Go to work and have a good time. Make sure you have contractor garbage bags, and don't fill them too full or you won't be able to lift them.
Go to it.
Damaged drywall needs to be removed.
Once the area is clean, I make sure the pipes and diverter are good, and use either Denshield or Cement board as the tile backer. Before you put up the board, install whatever blocking you need to install handrails, and some (I don't) install building paper behind the board. I DO make sure to seal the edges of the board with fiber tape and cement grout and my tiler really likes it when I give him a smoother surface.
Are you sure, after I read your post, that you don't want to hire a contractor to do this? (No disrespect intended)
Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR Construction
Vancouver, Canada
You can buy a tile demo hammer here for under $100 or rent one. They are air driven.
Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
If you're going down to the subfloor its not too bad. I usually make a hole in the cement and then get a crowbar under it. It cracks relatively easy and we can usually (thanks to the expanded mesh) fold the floor like a bi-fold.
You might want to determine what's holding down the existing tile. If it's mortar then a lot of work will be involved. If it's held in place with mastic then the job will be easier.
Generally you do not put drywall under backer board -- use one or the other. Note that for non-wet areas (ie, outside the shower area) you can install moisture-resistant drywall instead of backer board and not have to worry so much about the transitions to un-tiled drywall.