Help - Removing a single tile

[jond500]

Hi All,

Still tiling the bathroom... Anyway, I have a single tile that I want to remove as the gap between the top of the tile is far larger than all the others, I didn't notice it initially but now it's bugging me and want to remove it and replace it before I grout.

The tile is on the top row and going into a corner also. The substrate is 12mm hardibacker and the adhesive is Ultratile cement based flexible (Bagged not tubbed) Fortunately it is out of the tanked area.

I have watched a few video's on You Tube but they seem to be geared around complete ripouts. Tool wise I have Normal hammer drill, SDS, Cordless hammer drill, chisels etc.

How would you guys go about removing the tile and then the adhesive?

Obviously it would have been far easier to cut it the right size in the first place or take it off whilst the addy was still wet!!! Another lesson learnt!!

Cheers,

Jon.

 

[Concrete guy]

You'd be surprised how less noticeable it will be once grouted.

Your problem here is removing the tile without destroying the substrate and immediate surrounding tiles.

Honestly, just live with it, you'll be opening a can of worms by trying to remove it now.

 

[Ian]

Show us a pic mate, let us decide if it's that bad.

 

[jond500]

Hi,

Thanks for taking a look, the gap at it's biggest is about 9mm.



The tile is the top row in the corner.

Cheers,

Jon.

 

[Concrete guy]

Ooh, that's a whopper.

You'll need to remove the one to the left it to realistically get that one off.

Something like a paint scraper with the stiffest blade to can find worked gently in from the left hand edge.

 

[Andy Tiler]

Hi,

Thanks for taking a look, the gap at it's biggest is about 9mm.

View attachment 54685

The tile is the top row in the corner.

Cheers,

Jon.

Your not dot dabbing are you?!!
But deffo remove that...

 

[jond500]

Definitely not dot and dabbing!!

Spent to much time on here to cut corners!

I really appreciate the advice, I should have just pulled it off whilst the addy was wet by the time I saw it in daylight it had

Cheers,

Jon.

 

[Andy Allen]

just whack it in the centre of the tile with a hammer till bits start to loosen and brake off then work from the centre outwards chipping away at it with a flat head screw driver or strong scrapper...sorted..

 

[Chalker]

Breaking it out will be easy.
Cuts around the window will be harder . Happy tiling .

 

[Martyn Leeds]

smash it definitely.
Is everything going to be tickety-boo around the window? trim and all that??

 

[jond500]

Thanks all for your advice, I have just removed the tile along with the one next to it as advised above.

I taped the front face of the tiles with builders tape to stop small bits flying, I used a Purdy decorators multi tool as is has a steel cap. I'm now so not worried about tiles falling off the walls!!!!! They were bloody hard to get off!

Fortunately very minimal damage to the substrate and no damage to the remaining tiles

Looking forward to replacing them tomorrow.... That tile would have seriously peed me off! How much of a gap do you guys leave between the ceiling and tile?

As for the windows I have the stainless trim, that bit i'm really not worried about, the mitres etc. as i'm far happier working with steel but have squared the window prior to tiling.

Cheers,

Jon.

 

[White Room]

2-3mm max, if your going to use white grout a caulking filler between the ceiling and tile will allow a bit more movement.

 

[Sean SML Tiling]

Make sure your cover the bath well if its in. Last thing you want is a tile dropping and taking a chunk out of the bath

 

[jond500]

Make sure your cover the bath well if its in. Last thing you want is a tile dropping and taking a chunk out of the bath

Thanks, the bath was well covered The taping worked really well as I just cut the bits of tile off as I progressed with no big flying chunks

Jon.

 

[Martyn Leeds]

I'm meaning that the tiles on the front of the window look a bit short... trim goes on the inside tiles of the reveal

 

[Andy Allen]

I would have started a full tile from the reveal......looks like your going to have a big gap now..

 

[Stef]

Looking forward to replacing them tomorrow.... That tile would have seriously peed me off! How much of a gap do you guys leave between the ceiling and tile?



Measure up from the last tile you fit & take off 5mm & that's your cut, that's if your using 3mm spacers, 4mm if using a 2mm spacer.

I always leave a 2mm gap when cutting into any internal corner..

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

cover up anything that could get damaged and hit it with a hammer!

or if you feel a more delicate approach is in order then here is a vid:

Exellent vid Lee, I used the same method when a plumber fitted the shower control upside down ( as they do) had same result with Hardie splitting as you. Used same repair as you, so thanks for sharing mate.