Replies

1. 
   Notchman | May 19, 2008 08:01pm | #1

   I had to do that exact thing in a kitchen remodel once: I used a pistol-grip air chisel with an 1 1/2" wide spade bit to remove the tile and thinset. The air chisel tools are pretty inexpensive if you don't have one, but you need a compressor that puts out about 8 CFM to keep at it. A smaller compressor will work, but you'll have to wait on it regularly.

   To remove the plywood and the vinyl, I used a "spud", an old hand tool used to peel logs: The have a hefty handle about 3' long and a curved blade with a sharp edge that let's you pry up the plywood and peel off the vinyl; the screws will just pop out as you move along.

   Getting the heads uncovered to remove them with a bit is probably near impossible and they're probably phillips head which makes that possibility even more unlikely. But you can get a lot of leverage purchase with the spud.

   You may have to make a few cuts with a skill saw to make room for the spud and you may have to sharpen the spud blade occasionally as it gets beat up on the screws.

   Two of my spuds were inherited from my Dad and were made by a blacksmith out of truck springs and Dad used them in the '30's to peel Doug fir piling.

   But you can also buy one from WoodCrafter's Supply in the log and timber frame tool section.

   On the job I did, which I was dreading, I had the whole 10' X 12' kitchen down to the original subfloor by lunchtime.

   Wear eye protection and gloves.

1. 
   jdgNH | May 19, 2008 10:54pm | #2

   Thanks for the ideas.   A couple of follow-up questions...

   Did you remove ALL the tiles first, or just enough tile to expose the underlayment so you could get  the spud "blade" under the lip?

   And regarding the spud, seems like a little longer handle would improve the leverage when ripping up the underlayment. (the first one I saw on-line had a two foot long handle - seemed like a recipe for a sore back)

   Thanks again, Jack

1. 
   Notchman | May 19, 2008 11:47pm | #3

   In the removal I did, I had no idea what was beneath each layer; the tile actually came up pretty quickly. I got just enough thinset off to find out what was underneath and to cut into it.Beneath it was 1/4" ply screwed down as you described. I used the spud to pop the ply up.Beneath that was vinyl floor tiles on top of sheet vinyl over Particle board and finally 3/4" ply subfloor which I cleaned up and left in place and layed hardwood floor over. The pucky board was screwed and glued, but it came up fairly easy....in chunks.The spuds my Dad left me had long handles made of Dogwood, but I opted to use the short one because it was more usable in the space I was working. And yeah, it is a bit back-breaking but that helps us age in style and gives us something to bitch about when we get old. (Misery loves company). :-)But you can adapt a handle to your liking to the spud....a "D" handle for a garden spade would be pretty easy to fit to the head of the one from Woodcrafters and give something to grip.And I forgot to mention....wear knee pads....those tile shards are painful to wallow around on.I see that you're new here....it's helpful to fill in your profile...just click on your name and follow the instructions. Sometimes your location determines how useful the info you get here is, if for no other reason, climate, materials, tools and other aspects are sometimes unique to different regions of the country.I assume you're from New Hampshire...if so, where? My DW grew up in Gorham...

2. 
   inperfectionist | May 20, 2008 12:35am | #4

   Jack,

   You can rent,,,,, what I guess is called,,,,,, a floor scraper.

   It's a big #### 110v motor hooked up to about a 6" blade.

   Picture the tool you would use to chip ice off your walkways in the winter,,,,,,, now picture a motorized version.

   You'll make good time w one of these. It will blow the whole mess off your subfloor.

   Happy Scraping, Harry

1. 
   FCOH | May 20, 2008 05:27am | #7

   This is the route I went on the last bathroom we did.  I rented it from The Depot for a full day.  After an hour of fussing with the blade(not nearly as complicated as I made it) I sliiped it in , scraped the floor and had it back to the store just in time to only get billed for half a day. 

   The underlayment was Durock and we jsut used a roofing shovel and a big pry bar.

   8'x14' bath was torn up and cleaned in about 5 hours of actual labor. 2 guys.

   Its not real difficult you just gotta get in and make it happen.

1. 
   jdgNH | May 22, 2008 02:08am | #8

   Thanks to everyone for the tips & encouragement. Sounds like between a tool rental, a spud, a pry bar and a bunch of elbow grease, this should be "a piece of cake". 

   Thanks again

   Jack (from Londonderry New Hampshire)

    

3. 
   AaronRosenthal | May 20, 2008 01:40am | #5

   I recently finished removing the tiles for a bathroom on concrete pad.
   I have a rotary hammer with a chisel spade bit especially for projects like this.
   You can rent one at a local rental supply store. I like the Hilti chisel bits.
   Another alternative (faster) is to use a diamond wheel in an angle grinder. It will throw a HUGE amount of dust, so you need to seal off the rest of the house really well, and wear a respirator. In truth, both methods will create a lot of dust, so beware.

   Quality repairs for your home.

   AaronR Construction
   Vancouver, Canada

    

4. 
   Ted W. | May 20, 2008 02:40am | #6

   Cut a wedge shape at the end of a 2x4 and work it under the plywood toward the screws, press down on your end of the 2x4 and the plywood will pop up from the screws. Use a couple of them, working them together to get way under it. I've removed full 4' 8' sheets this way. Don't worry about the tiles, they'll pop off as the plywood come up.

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   Edited 5/19/2008 7:43 pm by Ted W.