How To Remove One Wall Tile

Always wear safety glasses when removing ceramic tile.

How to remove one wall tile.

Fill drywall gouges with drywall joint compound and sand it smooth. The method used to attach the tiles to the wall affects the way the tiles come off. Remove the tiles with a flat pry bar placing the edge low against the side of the tile and striking the base of the knife with a hammer. Therefore you should use the same chisel to remove the adhesive from the wall by tapping it with a hammer progressively.

Last but not least you should remove the tile adhesive from the wall and from the back of the ceramic tiles. To remove thinset use a stiff putty knife and some elbow grease to scrape it from the wall. Periodically scrape adhesive off the exposed floor with a putty knife or a floor scraper. In order to remove the adhesive from the back of the wall tiles you should use a scraper.

You should be able to slide a putty or plaster knife underneath the tile. To remove wall tiles start by heating up the grout between the tiles with a blow dryer so it s easier to remove. Work slowly and at about a 45 degree angle. Allow to fully dry.

Then use a utility knife or rotary grinder to scrape away the grout until the spacer lugs between the tiles are visible. Finish sanding the entire wall with 120 grit sand paper on drywall sanding pad. With the removal of the one tile keep going under the surrounding tiles gently popping the tile from the wall by prying it from the wall using the scraper and hammer. Move the nail set.

Tap the end of the nail set with a hammer to shatter the tile and pry the pieces off with a chisel. Be careful to cut away only the grout and not into the wall. In some cases the only way to tear out the ceramic tile is with heavy equipment such as a jackhammer or air chisel. Next use a chisel and hammer to pry the tiles off of the wall.

Tiles installed with thinset or another tile adhesive often require more work to remove them. Cut away the grout surrounding the tile or tiles that you want to remove. Use a ball peen or masonry hammer and cold chisel to tap the pieces free. An electric chisel is another option.

Once the tile is down take a 5 in 1 tool and scrapper to remove any excess grout.