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There are a number of reasons you might want to remove ceramic or vinyl tile from a concrete floor:
- a) The tiles are damaged and you need to replace them
- b) You want to cover the floor with a different material such as wood or laminate flooring
- c) You want to expose the existing concrete and give it a beautiful decorative finish
Of course, we think c is the best answer!
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Regardless of your goal, removing tile from a concrete floor can be a physically demanding and time-consuming task. Once you scrape up the tile, you are often left with a surface covered by stubborn thinset or mastic that can be even more difficult to remove than the tile itself.
Are there any shortcuts you can take to simplify the process? Not really, with the exception of hiring a professional to tackle the project. But if you’re up for the challenge, here are some pointers on the best tools, materials, and techniques to use to get down to bare concrete safely and with the least amount of effort.
Start with the Right Tools
The basic tools and supplies you’ll need to remove tile and tile adhesive from a concrete floor include:
- A mallet or sledge hammer
- Masonry chisel
- Heavy-duty floor scraper
- Pry bar
- Putty knife
- A shop vac, a broom and dustpan, and a flat shovel and wheelbarrow to remove dust and debris
Other equipment and materials that may be required, depending on the condition of the floor after tile removal
- Rotary hammer or demolition hammer
- Concrete floor grinder
- Handheld grinder (to work along edges and in corners)
- Chemical mastic remover
- Concrete floor patch to repair chips, cracks, and gouges
Finally, don’t overlook safety gear. Removing tiles from a concrete floor generates a lot of dust and flying debris and may require the use of harsh chemicals. To prevent injury and dust inhalation, be sure to wear a tight-fitting respirator mask, eye protection, a long-sleeve shirt, and work gloves. Also, invest in a pair of kneepads because you’ll be spending a lot of time kneeling on a hard surface.
Know What Type of Tile You’re Removing
If you are removing linoleum or vinyl tiles from a concrete floor that were installed before 1980, make sure the tiles do not contain asbestos. Manufacturers used to mix asbestos into vinyl floor tiles to improve their insulating ability and fire resistance. The adhesive used to apply these tiles may also contain asbestos.
Because asbestos tile can be a serious health hazard when it is disturbed during demolition, it should only be removed by an asbestos abatement professional. Another option is to leave the tile in place and encapsulate it with a concrete overlay.
How to Remove Ceramic Tile from Concrete
Removing ceramic tile from a concrete floor will go faster if you find a good starting point that will allow you to easily work the masonry chisel under the tile. A spot where you can see or feel a cracked or loose tile is ideal. Areas with deteriorating grout are also good places to begin.
Work the masonry chisel under the tile, holding it at a 45-degree angle to avoid gouging the concrete floor. Take a few good whacks at the chisel with a mallet until you are able to loosen and pry off the tiles. If you encounter a stubborn tile that won't budge, grab a sledge hammer and strike the face to break it into pieces that can then be chiseled away.
Tip: Before you begin tearing up floor tile, remove all baseboard trim using a hammer and pry bar or flat-head screwdriver. Also, because tile removal generates a lot of dust, seal off all HVAC vents in the room to prevent the dust from circulating throughout your home or building.
How to Remove Vinyl Tile from Concrete
Removing vinyl tile or linoleum flooring from a concrete floor will require a different approach, since the tiles are pliable and won’t crack like ceramic tiles. Here’s how:
Pry up a corner of one of the vinyl tiles using a putty knife. If you can't find a loose corner, you may need to cut through the tile with a utility knife.
Next, slip the putty knife or a floor scraper underneath the tile and lift it off completely. If you meet with resistance, try heating the tiles with a hair dryer or heat gun. This will soften the glue adhering them to the concrete and make them easier to scrape up.
How to Remove Tile Adhesive
Once you remove all the tile from a concrete floor, your work is far from over. If the tile was installed over an underlayment or backerboard, you’ll need to rip that out as well. But if the tile was applied directly to the concrete instead of an underlayment, which is often the case, you have a tough job ahead.
Tiles are typically adhered to concrete subfloors by one of two methods: an adhesive mastic or a thinset mortar. The method you use for removal will differ depending on the material you’re dealing with.
If you are removing a mastic, start by scraping up the glue with a wide chisel or long-handled floor scraper. If that doesn't do the trick, try softening the mastic using hot water (most tile mastics are water-soluble) or a commercial mastic remover formulated specifically for removing old adhesive from concrete floors. Once the mastic begins to dissolve, go back at it with the scraper. (Learn more about how to remove glue from a concrete floor.)
Unlike mastic, thinset cures to a hard, cement-like consistency and can’t be removed by dissolving it away. Instead, you need to repeatedly chip away at it with a chisel, floor scraper, or a rotary hammer fitted with a thinset removal bit. Regardless of the method you use, removing thinset creates a ton of dust, so be sure to wear a face mask and goggles.