Re-tiling over concrete

[Ole Anderson]

Oh my aching hands, I spent at least 3 hours today chipping up 75% of the ceramic tile I laid down 20 years ago on my concrete mudroom floor, and I am not done yet. 70 sf total, not too large, but a pain. I am getting good use out of my HF 1-1/8" SDS rotary hammer though with it's 2" wide blade. I used thinset directly on the concrete and it nearly made the tile and concrete one. I am spending 2-6 minutes per 12" x 12" tile to remove it. Full face shield, N95 dust mask and ear muffs, both the garage and outside door open so I get cross ventilation.

So, any tile experts out there for my re-install? Do the same, or lay down the orange mesh first? Watching the DIY channels, it seems that the orange stuff is standard now over most everything including concrete. Not sure of the purpose over concrete though. Floor is solid, poured in 1975 and no cracks. With all of the trowel marks, it might be difficult to get the floor as smooth as original, so will the mesh help there? The DW never did like the color I chose years ago, so she got to choose this time. And this will be the last time. Been in the house 39 years now.

[Tom M King]

That old with no cracks, I'd just go with thinset again. You can rent disks to use on a floor buffer that have carbide nubs on it that will grind all the rest of the residue right off, to the point that you can go right back over it with thinset. A large notched trowel will help with the leveling too. Use one of the "Tavy" plastic pucks to make sure you have no high corners "lippage" as you lay it.

http://www.braxton-bragg.com/index.cfm/pageid/5/fuseaction/store7catalog.level/bc/9562/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwzK6hBRCbzLz_r_f-3tkBEiQA-zyWsIblY7QDSI1211IQWK3PWUAB9qgIO419-v8RjhIYha8aAlxy8P8HAQ

I think Lowes or HD sells them too, but I like dealing with dedicated tile suppliers when possible.

You can rent the buffer too for the disk. The disk is well worth what seems like a high price; http://www.doverrentall.com/Tungsten-Carbide-Disc-includes-buffer/ I have a buffer, but the rental cost for just the disk is well worth the 45 bucks for a job like yours.

[Mark Bolton]

I'm with tom.. if it's as you say, no cracking, and that hard to get up I'd just go right back at it the same way.

Using Schluter or other material as crack isolation membrane over new or unknown concrete is cheap insurance but it's seems after 20 years your concrete is pretty well known.

[julian abram]

I feel your pain, did this to our master bath tile floor a couple years ago. I found the HF rotary hammer worked better if I sledge hammered the center of each tile to start some cracks. One of the worst job I've ever done. Full face shield, dust mask, etc. still had cuts on my hands from flying razor sharp flying ceramic. I am a DIY'er, but when my wife wants to re do the kitchen tile floor, it will be hired out. I ain't doing it!

[Ole Anderson]

I had the same tile in the kitchen, tile over thinset over 1/2" cement board thinset and screwed to 1/4" Luan stapled to the subfloor. That was a bear to take up before I put down Bamboo. It took 3 of us to pry it up in 2' x 2' sections using 4' prybars and roofing removal shovels. I like the tungsten carbide disc, but a full size floor machine wouldn't fit in the small mudroom, are they available in a smaller size?

[Mark Bolton]

If your room is small a 4" double row diamond cup wheel would clean it up well enough for tile. It'll be dusty but it'd do it.

[Jim Rimmer]

I would say go back with what you did 20 years ago. You can't beat success.

[ray hampton]

will the tile removal be easier if you heat the tile first ?

[Ole Anderson]

Ok, tile is up, now off to Tool Time to see what they might have for rent that will work. Divots in the concrete should fill with thin set, but the ridges will have to go. (meant to post this yesterday, forgot to hit Post Reply button)

[Ole Anderson]

My choices at the rental store were:
-Large floor machine at $10/hr plus a fixed $50 for the tungsten carbide disc
-Large diamond floor machine at $60/hr (would work well for the garage floor)
-Bosch 10 amp handheld grinder with diamond cup wheel and vac port at $20/hr

I went with the small grinder, it worked very well, creating about 40 pounds of dust, 75% of which I caught with my shop vac, dumping and shaking the filter 5 times. And I used my plug-in vac motor controller which helped when you are in a hurry at $20/hr. I had a pantry and clothes closet in the room so the bigger machines would have missed 8 inside corners. Now paint and new tile are in order.

And yesterday they delivered new roofing materials to deal with the hail storm in August. It was funny, the two guys on the truck must have been 130 and 150 pounds dripping wet, but the were literally running around on the roof like little ninjas carrying the heavy bundles of shingles. But now I see rain in the forecast for the nest 5 days, so who knows when they will start roofing.