Suggestions for removing tiled chipboard hearth... please!
 

I'm trying to remove an old tiled chipboard hearth. Several of the
tiles were cracked as well as being chipped at the edges and the
chipboard itself had got chunks missing round the edges. The
chipboard is screwed to the floorboards. (I hope it's just screwed
and not glued too.)

I thought I might be able to pop the tiles off the chipboard but after
30 minutes bashing away with a bolster I've cleared maybe the
equivalent of two tiles, as they're splintering into tiny shards
rather than coming off in chunks. There's so much adhesive, I can't
seem to get a thin bladed scraper in beneath them, and they've been
butt-jointed so it's not possible to exploit the grout lines.

I thought I might be able to get a crow bar under the chipboard and
lever the whole thing up but I think whoever did it really went to
town on the screws.

Any suggestions other than continuing with brute force and ignorance?
(And ideally something that doesn't involve too much gratuitous noise
since the neighbours have just had a baby.)

I've seen wall-paper strippers mentioned in the group before as a way
of removing tiles form chipboard but I don't really how there'd be
sufficient moisture penetration to do any good and anyway, if they've
used waterproof adhesive, isn't it...waterproof?

Thanks for any advice.

Suggestions for removing tiled chipboard hearth... please!
 

On Sep 8, 10:09*am, mike wrote:
I'm trying to remove an old tiled chipboard hearth.

Crowbar and bolster chisel in from the edges, and try to split the
chipboard through its (lower density) centre?

Suggestions for removing tiled chipboard hearth... please!
 

"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
On Sep 8, 10:09 am, mike wrote:
I'm trying to remove an old tiled chipboard hearth.

Crowbar and bolster chisel in from the edges, and try to split the
chipboard through its (lower density) centre?

Now I will likely get shot down in flames for this..
But I bet an angle grinder would help, maybe create some channels and let
the bolster in.
Take the grinder down the line where the tiles are butted together?

Suggestions for removing tiled chipboard hearth... please!
 

On Sep 8, 11:13*am, Andy Dingley wrote:
On Sep 8, 10:09*am, mike wrote:

I'm trying to remove an old tiled chipboard hearth.

Crowbar and bolster chisel in from the edges, and try to split the
chipboard through its (lower density) centre?

Top tip there, Andy. Thanks very much. Job done!

And the neighbours went out just as your post came through...

Cuppa tea and then sweep up.

Suggestions for removing tiled chipboard hearth... please!
 

In message
, mike
writes
On Sep 8, 11:13*am, Andy Dingley wrote:
On Sep 8, 10:09*am, mike wrote:

I'm trying to remove an old tiled chipboard hearth.

Crowbar and bolster chisel in from the edges, and try to split the
chipboard through its (lower density) centre?

Top tip there, Andy. Thanks very much. Job done!

And the neighbours went out just as your post came through...

Isn't that wonderful? Question at 10 o'clock, answer at 11 o'clock, job
done by 1 o'clock. Perfect.
--
Graeme

Suggestions for removing tiled chipboard hearth... please!
 

On Sep 8, 10:09*am, mike wrote:
I'm trying to remove an old tiled chipboard hearth. *Several of the
tiles were cracked as well as being chipped at the edges and the
chipboard itself had got chunks missing round the edges. *The
chipboard is screwed to the floorboards. *(I hope it's just screwed
and not glued too.)

I thought I might be able to pop the tiles off the chipboard but after
30 minutes bashing away with a bolster I've cleared maybe the
equivalent of two tiles, as they're splintering into tiny shards
rather than coming off in chunks. *There's so much adhesive, I can't
seem to get a thin bladed scraper in beneath them, and they've been
butt-jointed so it's not possible to exploit the grout lines.

I thought I might be able to get a crow bar under the chipboard and
lever the whole thing up but I think whoever did it really went to
town on the screws.

Any suggestions other than continuing with brute force and ignorance?
(And ideally something that doesn't involve too much gratuitous noise
since the neighbours have just had a baby.)

I've seen wall-paper strippers mentioned in the group before as a way
of removing tiles form chipboard but I don't really how there'd be
sufficient moisture penetration to do any good and anyway, if they've
used waterproof adhesive, isn't it...waterproof?

Thanks for any advice.

Angle grinder!

Suggestions for removing tiled chipboard hearth... please!
 

On Sep 8, 1:17*pm, mike wrote:
On Sep 8, 11:13*am, Andy Dingley wrote:

On Sep 8, 10:09*am, mike wrote:

I'm trying to remove an old tiled chipboard hearth.

Crowbar and bolster chisel in from the edges, and try to split the
chipboard through its (lower density) centre?

Top tip there, Andy. *Thanks very much. *Job done!

And the neighbours went out just as your post came through...

Cuppa tea and then sweep up.

For future use, smashing one tile with a hammer makes it aesy to get
under the others, or into the substrate.