Need Advice, Removing Tile...

[Scott Hildenbrand]

Ok, so I'm getting ready to bust out the tile around the fireplace and replace it with marble. Wanted to ask what advice any of you had for removing it..

The current tile is a terracotta style tile with thick groves on the back, so there's ALOT of mortar holding it in place.

I gave one of the tiles a swift crack with a masons hammer to see if it would break up easily.. It.. Did not.. No crack, but large chip out of it.

This is what I'm dealing with.. First pick shows the chip I took out of it.

http://pics.fuzzywolf.com/DSCN0348.JPG

This pic, you can see the deep groves.. The tile is 3/4" all together with the grove being 1/4" of that.
http://pics.fuzzywolf.com/DSCN0349.JPG

http://pics.fuzzywolf.com/DSCN0350.JPG

http://pics.fuzzywolf.com/DSCN0351.JPG

http://pics.fuzzywolf.com/DSCN0353.JPG

http://pics.fuzzywolf.com/DSCN0354.JPG


So... I'm currently at a loss as to how to BEST remove the tile and get the underlying mortar smooth enough to lay down new tiles.. On the bright side, new tiles are only 3/8ths thick, so I don't have to worry TOO much about working the old mortar down at the floor so they fit level with the oak.

Thoughts?

Maybe I should rent a jackhammer.. ?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Scott,

I'd try a rotohammer with a chisel blade. Hammerdrill with a chisel blade. Start at the grount lines and work under the tile.

[Scott Hildenbrand]

I do have an air chisel at hand that I can make use of.. Forgot I had it, actually.

RE hammer drills... My hammer drill still rotates when in hammer mode, so not real sure how well that will work.. I DO have a pinpoint bit for the chisel that might work in it for such usage.

Really, I'm not so much worried about the tile as I am the mortar.. Stuff is hard to remove, for sure.

[Stephen Tashiro]

A small air chisel (like the ones that take a bits for muffler work) cuts through masonry fast. But I find that the retainer spring on them breaks very quickly. This seems to happen as you break through and bit isn't encountering any resistance. I hope your air chisel is a genuine jack hammer.

[Scott Hildenbrand]

So am I... Just did some work on the tile at the top and sides.. The bond on it [mortar] broke easy enough from the brick under it. Ran into resistance on the left side as there is LESS mortar on that side but should be able to finish with a brick chisel.

The floor section is what concerns me.. Though, if I can get through PART of it and get access to the sub floor, it should make life easy.. If I'm lucky, it will be a 1/2" or so mortar bed on tar paper. So all I'll need to do is work under it.

[Steve Clardy]

I'd go with the air chisel and a wide flat bit.

I have these. I have a snap-on air chisel.
On the spring letting the bit fly, I have the screw-on adapter that eliminates the spring. Adapter would probably fit other brands of air chisels. Bits do not go flying off, which is a good thing. Lol

[Scott Hildenbrand]

Yeah.. I called it a night on the base... The rest looks great though..

http://pics.fuzzywolf.com/DSCN0355.JPG

Don't ask about the heater.. It's been there since the ice storm that blew through.. For some reason I just can't seem to move it yet. Well... At least till I start working on the floor tile.

This is as FAR as I could get with a brick chisel and 3# sledge..

http://pics.fuzzywolf.com/DSCN0357.JPG

Oh yeah.. This is what it looked like before I started breaking things.. :D

http://pics.fuzzywolf.com/IMG_8506.JPG

It was made of foam and 2x4's.. o.O

[Steve Clardy]

On the floor, I'd start chiseling in a grout seam.

[Scott Hildenbrand]

That WAS a grout seam.. :D :D

Really think once it gets going it will be alot easier.. It's just the getting it going that's hard.

[Steve Clardy]

Oops!! :eek::D:D:D


That is some great Mason work for sure. Whoever put that in knew what they were doing.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Scott,

It's been a while since I rented one but IIRC Hilti brand roto-hammers had a lever...you could choose linear hammering or roto/drilling hammering. One of them I rented had the hammering type selectable.

[Shawn Pixley]

You could cut a groove with an angle grinder (warning - messy) and then use your mason's chisel to pop the first tile. Once you get the first tile the others can usually be popped by getting underneath it with your wonderbar. At least that is what I have done.

[Scott Hildenbrand]

Well.. I feel beat six ways til Sunday... Used the air chisel on it.. I'm cut up and have one heck of a blister on my right hand, but it's done.

http://pics.fuzzywolf.com/DSCN0363.JPG

http://pics.fuzzywolf.com/DSCN0364.JPG

http://pics.fuzzywolf.com/DSCN0365.JPG

I'm most likely going to replace the oak strip that edges where the tile was.. It was REALLY not cut well at all and is ill fitted. Wonder though how hard it will be to match the finish...

What do you think?

I'm pretty sure it's white oak for the floor, not red. I've got no intention of refinishing the floor any time soon.. Maybe in 3 or 4 years, but not right now..

[Scott Hildenbrand]

Thought I'd pop up a picture of it with the tile down. Or at least the base tile.. I've still got to tile the sides, then it's on to doing the mantel.

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs246.snc1/9317_1234263544306_1460724611_30630382_4980661_n.j pg

[Eric Larsen]

+1 for the Hilti rotohammer.

We've used it to chip out mistakes we've made laying our own tile. Otherwise, it's going to be a hard slog.

[Eric Larsen]

Thought I'd pop up a picture of it with the tile down. Or at least the base tile.. I've still got to tile the sides, then it's on to doing the mantel.




Beautiful marble. Are you worried about the fire discoloring it?

[Scott Hildenbrand]

Not really, especially since it's dark to begin with..

The fireplace at this moment can not burn real wood as the damper is missing, which I may bring that question up later to see what everyone thinks.

At this moment I've got two options for logs.. A vent free gas set and to block off the top with a plate, or a vented gas set and to have a new damper set in place.

Been trying and trying to find information on fireplace dampers but have not been able to find much.

At any rate, gas logs seem to be the best option, which will be cleaner burning.