I had to lift up two loose tiles on a bathroom floor. The tiles were
installed about 3 years ago by a professional over a new plywood subfloor
with a gray colored adhesive - or cement. I was able to remove the tiles
easily without damage and need to reattach after drying the wood floor -
some water got underthe tile. I have some extra tile but would not rather
bother to rent a tile cutter etc unless really needed so I thought I could
chip or scrape carefully to get some off. The tiles only have about one
third of the surface wiht the cement.

Is there chemical that would help (phosphoric acid tile cleaner?) or do I
just need to scrape? Do I need to get most of it off or just enough to be
able to re cement it down and not have a high tile.

thanks

alan

"Alan" wrote in message
...
: I had to lift up two loose tiles on a bathroom floor. The tiles were
: installed about 3 years ago by a professional over a new plywood subfloor
: with a gray colored adhesive - or cement. I was able to remove the tiles
: easily without damage and need to reattach after drying the wood floor -
: some water got underthe tile. I have some extra tile but would not
rather
: bother to rent a tile cutter etc unless really needed so I thought I could
: chip or scrape carefully to get some off. The tiles only have about one
: third of the surface wiht the cement.
:
: Is there chemical that would help (phosphoric acid tile cleaner?) or do I
: just need to scrape? Do I need to get most of it off or just enough to be
: able to re cement it down and not have a high tile.
:
: thanks
:
: alan
:
:

At the risk of being flamed...

I'm currently installing tile and using a thin plywood for spacing. I'm have
decent luck sanding the plywood spacers for re-use as I progress. I don't
think that you are going to have any luck 'chipping' the dry material off.
Likely you'll break the tile..

Unless others have a better suggestion...

Rick

On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 16:29:16 -0500, "Alan"
wrote:

I had to lift up two loose tiles on a bathroom floor. The tiles were
installed about 3 years ago by a professional over a new plywood subfloor
with a gray colored adhesive - or cement. I was able to remove the tiles
easily without damage and need to reattach after drying the wood floor -
some water got underthe tile. I have some extra tile but would not rather
bother to rent a tile cutter etc unless really needed so I thought I could
chip or scrape carefully to get some off. The tiles only have about one
third of the surface wiht the cement.

Is there chemical that would help (phosphoric acid tile cleaner?) or do I
just need to scrape? Do I need to get most of it off or just enough to be
able to re cement it down and not have a high tile.

thanks

alan

I've had good luck with a wire brush in an angle grinder, or mounted
to a stationary grinder. Makes a mess, but cleans off the adhesive,
whether it is mastic or thinset (probably mastic if it was installed
over plywood (not a good idea, especially in a bathroom).

Wear eye protection.

HTH,

Paul

I was able to remove the tiles
easily without damage and need to reattach after drying the wood floor
-
some water got underthe tile.


I would get a bucket of hot water and a stiff bristled (or wire)
brush.

Just like the water loosened the tiles on your floor, water will loosen
the 'thinset' and it will come right off.

Lewis.

******

Thanks to all - all good suggestions. Now I will see what works best for
me.

alan


"Alan" wrote in message
...
I had to lift up two loose tiles on a bathroom floor. The tiles were
installed about 3 years ago by a professional over a new plywood subfloor
with a gray colored adhesive - or cement. I was able to remove the tiles
easily without damage and need to reattach after drying the wood floor -
some water got underthe tile. I have some extra tile but would not
rather bother to rent a tile cutter etc unless really needed so I thought I
could chip or scrape carefully to get some off. The tiles only have about
one third of the surface wiht the cement.

Is there chemical that would help (phosphoric acid tile cleaner?) or do I
just need to scrape? Do I need to get most of it off or just enough to be
able to re cement it down and not have a high tile.

thanks

alan

Alan Wrote:
I had to lift up two loose tiles on a bathroom floor. The tiles were
installed about 3 years ago by a professional over a new plywood
subfloor
with a gray colored adhesive - or cement. I was able to remove the
tiles
easily without damage and need to reattach after drying the wood floor
-
some water got underthe tile. I have some extra tile but would not
rather
bother to rent a tile cutter etc unless really needed so I thought I
could
chip or scrape carefully to get some off. The tiles only have about
one
third of the surface wiht the cement.

Is there chemical that would help (phosphoric acid tile cleaner?) or do
I
just need to scrape? Do I need to get most of it off or just enough to
be
able to re cement it down and not have a high tile.

thanks
alan


You need to chisel off as much of the dried thinset mortar as possible
before resetting the tile. Acids will only harm the tile as well.

The best method still remains to cut a new tile.

You have an even bigger issue, however, and that is that the floor was
never properly prepared to recevie tile in the first place.

Tile should never be placed directly over a wooden subfloor, which is
why your tiles are coming up from water after only 3 years.

Tile needs to be installed over a concrete based backer board or onto a
several inch thick layer of mortar.

Wood subfloors will expand and contract with moisture, especially if
wet, and for this reason make unacceptable bases for tile.

Don't expect your repair to last if it goes back down directly over
wood subfloor.


--
manhattan42
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ok thanks - What this means is that I really need to reseal the grout and
keep the floor as dry as possible. I have had 2 different bath floors
installed and while the original builder installed floors were in mud, the
new ones were put on plywood after the mud was removed. Too bad I did not
know this before.

alan

"manhattan42" wrote in
message ...

Alan Wrote:
I had to lift up two loose tiles on a bathroom floor. The tiles were
installed about 3 years ago by a professional over a new plywood
subfloor
with a gray colored adhesive - or cement. I was able to remove the
tiles
easily without damage and need to reattach after drying the wood floor
-
some water got underthe tile. I have some extra tile but would not
rather
bother to rent a tile cutter etc unless really needed so I thought I
could
chip or scrape carefully to get some off. The tiles only have about
one
third of the surface wiht the cement.

Is there chemical that would help (phosphoric acid tile cleaner?) or do
I
just need to scrape? Do I need to get most of it off or just enough to
be
able to re cement it down and not have a high tile.

thanks
alan


You need to chisel off as much of the dried thinset mortar as possible
before resetting the tile. Acids will only harm the tile as well.

The best method still remains to cut a new tile.

You have an even bigger issue, however, and that is that the floor was
never properly prepared to recevie tile in the first place.

Tile should never be placed directly over a wooden subfloor, which is
why your tiles are coming up from water after only 3 years.

Tile needs to be installed over a concrete based backer board or onto a
several inch thick layer of mortar.

Wood subfloors will expand and contract with moisture, especially if
wet, and for this reason make unacceptable bases for tile.

Don't expect your repair to last if it goes back down directly over
wood subfloor.


--
manhattan42
------------------------------------------------------------------------
manhattan42's Profile:
http://homerepairforums.org/forums/member.php?userid=46
View this thread:
http://homerepairforums.org/forums/s...ad.php?t=74636
This post was submitted via http://www.HomeRepairForums.org

pszwayka had written this in response to
http://www.thestuccocompany.com/main...e-re-1629-.htm
:
what answer did allen get i have the same problem?

-------------------------------------
Alan wrote:




I had to lift up two loose tiles on a bathroom floor. The tiles were
installed about 3 years ago by a professional over a new plywood
subfloor
with a gray colored adhesive - or cement. I was able to remove the
tiles
easily without damage and need to reattach after drying the wood floor
-
some water got underthe tile. I have some extra tile but would not
rather
bother to rent a tile cutter etc unless really needed so I thought I
could
chip or scrape carefully to get some off. The tiles only have about
one
third of the surface wiht the cement.

Is there chemical that would help (phosphoric acid tile cleaner?) or do
I
just need to scrape? Do I need to get most of it off or just enough to
be
able to re cement it down and not have a high tile.

thanks

alan








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On Dec 17, 2:36*pm, (pszwayka)
wrote:
pszwayka had written this in response tohttp://www.thestuccocompany.com/maintenance/how-to-remove-cement-adhe...
*:
what answer did allen get i have the same problem?

-------------------------------------



Alan wrote:
I had to lift up two loose tiles on a bathroom floor. *The tiles were
installed about 3 years ago by a professional over a new plywood
subfloor
with a gray colored adhesive - or *cement. *I was able toremovethe
tiles
easily without damage and need to reattach after drying the wood floor
-
some water got underthe tile. * *I have some extra tile but would not
rather
bother to rent a tile cutter etc unless really needed so I thought I
could
chip or scrape carefully to get some off. *The tiles only have about
one
third of the surface wiht thecement.
Is there chemical that would help (phosphoric acid tile cleaner?) or do
I
just need to scrape? *Do I need to get most of it off or just enough to
be
able to recementit down and not have a high tile.
thanks
alan

you can use acid to remove thinset, but that's a messy and bad job.
you can scrape it off. a good way i found was to get a cheap 4"
diamond blade for a side grinder and use the side of the blade. it
removes thinset really quickly and well. do it upwind as you don't
want to breath the dust produced.

regards,
charlie
cave creek, az

charlie wrote in
:

On Dec 17, 2:36*pm, (pszwayka)
wrote:
pszwayka had written this in response
tohttp://www.thestuccocompany.com/m
aintenance/how-to-remove-cement-adhe...
*:
what answer did allen get i have the same problem?

-------------------------------------



Alan wrote:
I had to lift up two loose tiles on a bathroom floor. *The tiles
were installed about 3 years ago by a professional over a new
plywood subfloor
with a gray colored adhesive - or *cement. *I was able toremovethe
tiles
easily without damage and need to reattach after drying the wood
floor -
some water got underthe tile. * *I have some extra tile but would n
ot
rather
bother to rent a tile cutter etc unless really needed so I thought
I could
chip or scrape carefully to get some off. *The tiles only have
about one
third of the surface wiht thecement.
Is there chemical that would help (phosphoric acid tile cleaner?)
or do I
just need to scrape? *Do I need to get most of it off or just
enough
to
be
able to recementit down and not have a high tile.
thanks
alan

you can use acid to remove thinset, but that's a messy and bad job.
you can scrape it off. a good way i found was to get a cheap 4"
diamond blade for a side grinder and use the side of the blade. it
removes thinset really quickly and well. do it upwind as you don't
want to breath the dust produced.

regards,
charlie
cave creek, az


I did a ****load (specific unit of measurement in VT) of 2x2 tiles I had
exactly this way. Worked out great. Best to wear some heavy gloves if
possible and absolutely wear some type of safety glasses. It'll pretty
much come off as a dust but chips happen.

pszwayka had written this in response to
http://www.thestuccocompany.com/main...-cement-adhesi
ve-from-ceramic-tile-before-re-1629-.htm :
what answer did allen get i have the same problem?

Alan wrote:

I had to lift up two loose tiles on a bathroom floor. The tiles
were installed about 3 years ago by a professional over a new
plywood subfloor with a gray colored adhesive - or cement. I was
able to remove the tiles easily without damage and need to reattach
after drying the wood floor - some water got underthe tile. I
have some extra tile but would not rather bother to rent a tile
cutter etc unless really needed so I thought I could chip or scrape
carefully to get some off. The tiles only have about one third of
the surface wiht the cement.

Is there chemical that would help (phosphoric acid tile cleaner?)
or do I just need to scrape? Do I need to get most of it off or
just enough to be able to re cement it down and not have a high
tile.

I get this job fairly regularly.

I usually use a putty knife as a chisel to knock off the old thinset.
Sometimes I use a cold chisel to get off large chunks from the wall,
but that's rare.

* Knock off as much of the old thinset as you can. You _must_ get off
_some_ of it from the entire surface, or the new thinset will cause the
tile to be proud of the surface.
* Be careful not to break the tile. Put a thick layer of towels on
your lap, set the tile on your thigh, and hammer on it with a putty
knife. A flexible knife is safer for the tile than a stiff one, since
it will bend and slip instead of breaking the tile. Neither of them is
particularly safe for your leg. ;-)
* Apply the new adhesive and set the tile in place. Thinset is good,
but mastic designed for tile is OK too. I'd probably use mastic,
because I have an open tub in the garage. Thinset I'd have to buy and
mix.

* Don't put mastic on wet plywood--it won't set. I learned that one the
hard way.


--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA