Knowledge base

In this guide we talk you through removing a tiled floor, specifically how to remove floor tiles from concrete. This is wise to do before laying new ones, mostly due to the thickness adding an additional layer of tiles and adhesive will create. But also, because a more stable and prepared substrate will prevent issues further down the line like movement and cracking.

How to remove ceramic floor tiles from concrete without breaking them? This is quite tricky to do however, if the tiles have been laid using a modern tile adhesive (from the 1970s onwards) and laid on a cement-based or plywood substrate, then you will only require the basic hand tools to lift the tiles.

HOW TO REMOVE CERAMIC AND PORCELAIN FLOOR TILES FROM CONCRETE

How to remove kitchen floor tiles or removing a tile floor in general depends on the age of the tiles and when they were laid. With modern tile adhesive you can automate the process by using a chisel drill attachment however caution is required as this could ruin the substrate and require repair work before any new tiles can be laid.

The same would also apply to removing ceramic tiles from concrete floors. However, if you’re lifting from solid mortar (aka pre-1970s), it’s advised to hire specialist equipment such as a hand-held power scraper or a wheeled-mounted tile lifter (depending on the difficulty of the floor).

When removing tiles, you need to ensure you remove the tile base and the accompanying adhesive and grout.

HOW TO REMOVE VINYL FLOOR TILES FROM CONCRETE

Vinyl tiles are slightly different to regular tiles, it depends on how they are fixed. A lot of click flooring isn’t glued down and therefore can be simply prised up. You can also rip up glue down vinyl flooring from concrete but you will need to remove the glue before proceeding with a new floor.

Start with a pry bar or scraper to remove the glue. If that isn’t effective, you will need to apply an adhesive stripper to soften and remove the glue. It’s an intensive and manual process but one that must be done to ensure the quality of your next floor.