Removing old mortar tile base from conc.
pwd
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
I have a 50 year old house where I have removed some tile from a covered exterior porch. The tile is easy to get up but the mortar base is proving more stubborn. It seems to contain a lot of sand and is pretty soft ( I can chip and dig in it with a hammer). It is so tedious to chip away at it and there is another 250 sq ft to go! Some of it comes away in chunks and some has to almost be rubbed off. The best way I’ve found so far is to use a masons brick set and hammer to go at it.
Any suggestions? Maybe a miracle solution? (water?)
Replies
Se Habla Espanol?
I was afraid of that!
Are you installing new tile, decking, carpet or some other floor. A complete question will generate the best answer in this medium Paul.
A really small jack hammer. No kidding, they make some hand helds about the size of a large hammer drill.
Try a wonder bar/ flat bar and a short scrap of plywood against the house. There are even some mini crowbar styles which have a 90 degree bend rather that a U shaped bend. Much faster.
Oh yeah, then there are the 5' pry bars. This way you won't have to even bend/ crouch down.
Like WAYNEL5 said a small jackhammer works very well. I did the same job and rented a small Bosch electric hammer took the tile and mortar off at at the same time. -Ed
Or use it as an excuse to buy a 400 dollar tool that you will probably only use once :)
http://www.internationaltool.com/boschconcretegrinder.htm
Any indication how thick the bed is? What's it set over? Is this slab on grade? In certain situations, I've been able to make cuts in the mortar bed with a masonry blade in a circular saw, and then take up the pieces with a big pry bar. Taken out several bathroom floors this way...
I found a friend with an old electric hammer. It has a variety of bits and weighs about 30 bs. I tried the masonary saw and bar, it works but is slow. The bed is 1/2 inch thick on concrete. I'll let you know how it goes.
Could be like the guys with the duct tape book suggested when asked about the sticky stuff left over from duct tape removal. "Put more duct tape over it."
What are you putting down? Is the substrate on the porch concrete? If you are putting down more tile then consider the following. If you remove the loose stuff and don't fret the well adhered product, you could refloat the surface with Thinset. Then after it cures reapply tile with another layer of thinset.
Concrete gets harder with age. I can't speak for this mixture of stuff (mortar?)you have but if it is stuck hard then refloating the surface might be a workable solution.
Removing it should be tough if it was applied well. If it is applied well then the above could be a good approach.
Sorry.no miracle solutions.
I just busted up a large bathroom mud job. I found the best thing short of a jack hammer was the claw of my Estwing framing hammer. Just keep at it. Some spots worked well with my flat bar or crow bar, but the claw of my Estwing framing hammer actually worked best.
Was set in wire lathe and was a bidtch. It came up with perserverance and determination. Just like everything else does.
The minute I read you ask for a miracle solution I knew.......I knew you better learn the word "perserverance" cause thats a key word in renovation work.
Work smart, not hard.......but work hard too.
Namaste
Andy
"Attachment is the strongest block to realization"
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM