Getting old tile adhesive off tiles
 

Has anyone got any ideas how to get the adhesive off old tiles?
Prefer tried and tested methods, not.."you might do it with", no offence
intended like :-).


Thank You

In article , Mickey
wrote:
Has anyone got any ideas how to get the adhesive off old tiles?
Prefer tried and tested methods, not.."you might do it with", no offence
intended like :-).

Try soaking overnight - won't work with genuinely waterproof adhesive of
course.

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Mickey wrote:
Has anyone got any ideas how to get the adhesive off old tiles?
Prefer tried and tested methods, not.."you might do it with", no offence
intended like :-).

This has come up here before; IIRC the answer depends on the type of
adhesive?? Try searching the newsgroup archives via Google.

David

Lobster wrote:
Mickey wrote:
Has anyone got any ideas how to get the adhesive off old tiles?
Prefer tried and tested methods, not.."you might do it with", no
offence intended like :-).

This has come up here before; IIRC the answer depends on the type of
adhesive?? Try searching the newsgroup archives via Google.

David

Does it matter? new ideas are valuable regardless of the posting, IMHO.

Depending on the size of your tiles, buy/borrow a wallpaper steamer and fit
as many tiles as possible on a flat surface with tile adhesive uppermost fit
steamer over tiles and leave for a couple of minutes i.e about 2/3 should do
then scrape of adhesive.

ben wrote:
Lobster wrote:

Mickey wrote:

Has anyone got any ideas how to get the adhesive off old tiles?
Prefer tried and tested methods, not.."you might do it with", no
offence intended like :-).

This has come up here before; IIRC the answer depends on the type of
adhesive?? Try searching the newsgroup archives via Google.

Does it matter? new ideas are valuable regardless of the posting, IMHO.

Wasn't meant to be a dig, I was just pointing the OP at the source of
the answer to his question (cos I don't have the time or inclination to
do the search myself...)

David

In article ,
Mickey wrote:
Has anyone got any ideas how to get the adhesive off old tiles?
Prefer tried and tested methods, not.."you might do it with", no offence
intended like :-).

If it's the normal white stuff sold ready to use, simply put the tiles in
a bucket of water to soak for a few hours. It will fall off. Cement based
adhesive - haven't a clue. ;-)

--
*Forget the Joneses, I keep us up with the Simpsons.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Mickey wrote:
Has anyone got any ideas how to get the adhesive off old tiles?
Prefer tried and tested methods, not.."you might do it with", no offence
intended like :-).

I found putting them in an oven, and heating to ~1000C worked well.
(Intended to reflow the glaze over cracks, which worked)

Ian Stirling wrote:
Mickey wrote:

Has anyone got any ideas how to get the adhesive off old tiles?
Prefer tried and tested methods, not.."you might do it with", no offence
intended like :-).

I found putting them in an oven, and heating to ~1000C worked well.
(Intended to reflow the glaze over cracks, which worked)

Does that just work with plain tiles? Would you end up with a muddy
merged mess if you tried it with patterned ones?

David

Lobster wrote:
Ian Stirling wrote:
Mickey wrote:

Has anyone got any ideas how to get the adhesive off old tiles?
Prefer tried and tested methods, not.."you might do it with", no offence
intended like :-).

I found putting them in an oven, and heating to ~1000C worked well.
(Intended to reflow the glaze over cracks, which worked)

Does that just work with plain tiles? Would you end up with a muddy
merged mess if you tried it with patterned ones?

I don't think so, after all, it doesn't happen when they are fired.

However, the temperature may well be more critical, and some experimentation
may be needed.
It is quite possible to do this, if you have a controllable kiln, but
time consuming.
Simply ramp up to say 600C, hold for half an hour, and ramp back down.
Check if cracks have fused.
If not, repeat with the temperature 20C higher.

These were tiles that had been in situ for maybe 15 years, cracked.
The cracks have not totally dissapeared, but the glaze has melded over them,
so that instead of being fine black lines, they are slight depressions in
the glaze.
I wouldn't have bothered, if I diddn't have the kiln already - it was more
of a "I wonder if this will work", than a practical measure - as they
were plain white tiles, and a box of 10 would have been plenty to replace
the tiled area.

Ian Stirling wrote:
Lobster wrote:

Ian Stirling wrote:

Mickey wrote:


Has anyone got any ideas how to get the adhesive off old tiles?
Prefer tried and tested methods, not.."you might do it with", no offence
intended like :-).

I found putting them in an oven, and heating to ~1000C worked well.
(Intended to reflow the glaze over cracks, which worked)

Does that just work with plain tiles? Would you end up with a muddy
merged mess if you tried it with patterned ones?


I don't think so, after all, it doesn't happen when they are fired.

However, the temperature may well be more critical, and some experimentation
may be needed.
It is quite possible to do this, if you have a controllable kiln, but
time consuming.
Simply ramp up to say 600C, hold for half an hour, and ramp back down.
Check if cracks have fused.
If not, repeat with the temperature 20C higher.

These were tiles that had been in situ for maybe 15 years, cracked.
The cracks have not totally dissapeared, but the glaze has melded over them,
so that instead of being fine black lines, they are slight depressions in
the glaze.
I wouldn't have bothered, if I diddn't have the kiln already - it was more
of a "I wonder if this will work", than a practical measure - as they
were plain white tiles, and a box of 10 would have been plenty to replace
the tiled area.

Try soaking the tiles in a bucket of boiling water with some sugar soap
or similar. The waterproof adhesive takes slightly longer to dissolve!

Ian Stirling wrote:
Has anyone got any ideas how to get the adhesive off old tiles?
I found putting them in an oven, and heating to ~1000C worked well.
(Intended to reflow the glaze over cracks, which worked)

But my oven doesn't go up to Regulo 40

Owain

Owain wrote:
Ian Stirling wrote:
Has anyone got any ideas how to get the adhesive off old tiles?
I found putting them in an oven, and heating to ~1000C worked well.
(Intended to reflow the glaze over cracks, which worked)

But my oven doesn't go up to Regulo 40

Small kilns can actually be quite cheap.
And handy for all sorts of tasks.
Also DIY-able for practically nothing.

In message , Mickey
writes
Has anyone got any ideas how to get the adhesive off old tiles?
Prefer tried and tested methods, not.."you might do it with", no offence
intended like :-).


Thank You


Angle grinder & coarse sanding disk. (Messy, very quick, clamp the
tile!)
(I had to replace some removed to fit new window surround, none left at
the tile warehouse where I bought the originals)
--
Keith

Keith wrote:
In message , Mickey
writes
Has anyone got any ideas how to get the adhesive off old tiles?
Prefer tried and tested methods, not.."you might do it with", no
offence intended like :-).


Thank You


Angle grinder & coarse sanding disk. (Messy, very quick, clamp the
tile!)
(I had to replace some removed to fit new window surround, none left
at the tile warehouse where I bought the originals)

What if the OP has 30/40 tiles or more? hardly going to be quick is it. :-)

In message , ben
writes
Keith wrote:
In message , Mickey
writes
Has anyone got any ideas how to get the adhesive off old tiles?
Prefer tried and tested methods, not.."you might do it with", no
offence intended like :-).


Thank You


Angle grinder & coarse sanding disk. (Messy, very quick, clamp the
tile!)
(I had to replace some removed to fit new window surround, none left
at the tile warehouse where I bought the originals)

What if the OP has 30/40 tiles or more? hardly going to be quick is it. :-)


Nobut, if he's only got a couple, it'll be a lot quicker than soaking
overnight.

See your :-), raise you a :-P

--
Keith

Mickey wrote:

Has anyone got any ideas how to get the adhesive off old tiles?
Prefer tried and tested methods, not.."you might do it with", no offence
intended like :-).


Thank You


I can't believe that no one has actually come up with the correct answer.

Soak them in a bucket or plastic tank full of brick acid.

When they stop fizzing, wash them.

End of story.

If some is still left, throw brick acid away and get some more.

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Mickey wrote:

Has anyone got any ideas how to get the adhesive off old tiles?
Prefer tried and tested methods, not.."you might do it with", no offence
intended like :-).

I can't believe that no one has actually come up with the correct answer.

Soak them in a bucket or plastic tank full of brick acid.

I'm guessing that's just for cement-based adhesive, rather than, erm,
adhesive-based adhesive? Or will that work for anything?

David

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Mickey wrote:

Has anyone got any ideas how to get the adhesive off old tiles?
Prefer tried and tested methods, not.."you might do it with", no offence
intended like :-).


Thank You


I can't believe that no one has actually come up with the correct answer.

Because it isn't the "correct" answer.


Soak them in a bucket or plastic tank full of brick acid.

When they stop fizzing, wash them.


End of story.

No, it isn't "end of story". Don't be so bloody dogmatic.
Acid does not attack pva or acrylic which most tile adhesives are based
on and, while it may work by action on the filler, it's hardly an
elegant solution given that hot water and detergent works just fine. I
know this because I always re-use adhesive tubs and often the residue is
rock hard by the time I get round to cleaning them.
Hydrochloric acid is dangerous and unpleasant to use. Any kind of
scrubbing in your bucket flicks tiny splashes everywhere. Don't wear
your 501s

In article ,
Stuart Noble wrote:
Any kind of scrubbing in your bucket flicks tiny splashes everywhere.
Don't wear your 501s

Oh, I dunno. Do a search on Ebay for 'bleachers' and see how much they
cost. ;-)

--
*Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.