wrote:
I've been asked to remove some slate floor tiles in a massive kitchen.

They seem to be laid on a layer of plywood or possibly blockboard
which is in turn laid onto the original floorboards.

The owners want to salvage as many as possible so the can sell them.
The tiles are about 20mm thick.

Questions:

1. How do I remove them
2. Will they come off whole or are they more likely to break

I had a job recently where I had to remove three damaged terrazo type tiles
on a ply sub floor. They were damaged at the edges, but I had to be careful
because there were only four spare tiles.

I drilled into one tile in a line, then used a bloster chisel to extend the
line. Then I worked outwards towards the edges. I'd removed as much grout
as possible beforehand with a grout rake.

I got all three tiles out without much trouble. I reckon a similar
technique would work on a whole floor.

I'm thinking of doing it by levering my massive crowbar under the
blockboard/plywood layer to loosen than in the hope that the flexing
of the layer will break the bond between the tiles and the blockboard
layer.

I reckon break one central tile out, even if you trash it - the work
outwards.


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257