How To Lift Ceramic Floor Tiles Without Breaking Them

Tap the chisel lightly with the hammer until the tile loosens from the floor.

How to lift ceramic floor tiles without breaking them. Clean the grout out as others have suggested and then get a heat gun to heat the tile to about 120 degrees c. Then use a thin putty knife or paint scraper to gently lift the tile. Also dip the drill bit in a little water throughout the process to keep it wet so it doesn t overheat. Place a suction cup in the middle of the tile and thread twine through the hole.

You must be careful about storing the removed floor tiles as well. Remove the putty knife place it along the next edge and repeat until all sides are complete. Ease a flat bladed screwdriver or similar tool under the edging strips and gently pry them free from the tiles. If you want to remove the tile without breaking it drill a hole through the center of the tile with an abrasive diamond drill bit being sure to use the lowest speed setting on your drill.

Slide the tip of the chisel under the edge of each tile with the chisel positioned as close to parallel to the floor as possible. As you pry the tile make sure that you pull on the twine very cautiously. Remove the rest of the tiles too in the same manner. Pry them away from the tiles rather than toward them to minimize the risk of damaging.

Tap the end slowly with a rubber mallet until it is worked under a tile. Place a suction cup in the center of the tile and thread twine through the protruding hole. If the adhesive is rubber based as many are these days i found heat to be a very good method to lift the tiles.