How to Remove Tile Flooring at Home

So you want to remove your own tile? You watched a few shows on HGTV and feel like you can handle the job. Well, we’ll be honest with you. It’s not easy. However, with our guidance and powerful tools from Speedy Floor Removal, we can make tile removal as easy as it can be!

Steps to DIY

Remove the Baseboards and Trim

The first step to removing tile is first removing the baseboards and trim. While removing, make sure to take care so that they can be reinstalled once the new flooring is installed. Gently remove them with a thin pry bar. Make sure to remove any appliances in the room and built-in furniture, like cabinets.

Without the proper equipment, there will be dust involved in the process. You will want to cover any vents with painter’s tape and plastic to keep any dust from entering the ventilation system.

Remove the Tile

For this part, you will need a hammer and a chisel. Before you can start popping up tiles, you will need to first break one apart with the hammer to get to the others. Once you have broken apart the first tile, you can then use the chisel to pry it up. Use the hammer and chisel to pop the rest of the tiles up by placing the chisel against the bottom edge of the tiles and using the hammer to apply pressure to pop the rest up.

If the flooring area you are removing it too large for this tedious task, you can use electric tools to for quicker, more efficient work.

Remove the Underlayment

The underlayment is whatever you find under your tile once you have pulled it all up.

This can include:

• Cement
• Plywood
• Backer Board
• Plywood
• Or more tile…

In most flooring jobs, it is best to go ahead and remove the underlayment, as it could be concealing mold or water damage. It should almost always come up after removing the tile.

If there are screws attaching the underlayment to the floor, you can use a screw gun to remove them. Pry up the edges of the underlayment; this can be done with a roofing rake and a flat shovel.

Clean the Subfloor

It is important that your floor is properly prepped before the flooring installation. You will need to remove any adhesive and remaining screws. If there is any remaining thin set, you will need to go over the surface with a scraper. If there is any old thinset left behind, your new floor could have holes, cracks, and uneven surfaces.

It is very important that you do not begin installing your new flooring until the subfloor is completely flat and smooth.

Speedy Assist Program

The job of tile removal, or any floor removal process really, can be a daunting task. And after reading through what it takes, you may have some doubts, but Speedy Floor Removal is here to lend a hand.

With the Speedy Assist Program, you can get our industry leading floor equipment along with one of our highly trained experts to get the job done quickly and efficiently. Our expert will assist you in the planning of the floor removal, operating the equipment, and also provide you the tools needed for a successful floor removal project.

The Speedy Assist Program will assist you in floor covering removal, coating removal, and even surface preparation to make sure your floor is properly prepped before installing the new flooring. Speedy Floor Removal serves Jacksonville, Gainesville, and the surrounding areas in Florida.  Let us assist you with your next project and call Speedy Floor Removal today!

Tile is a great flooring choice for many Floridians due to its durability and ease of cleaning. However, after a little wear and tear, homeowners may find that their tile floor is uneven. An uneven floor is not only noticeable, but it’s also dangerous. Children and adults of all ages are more likely to trip and fall due to an uneven floor. Uneven floors also allow dirt and moisture to enter below the tiles, causing damage and mold buildup.

Factors that Contribute to Uneven Tile Floors

If you find that your tile is uneven, whether it be right after the contractor leaves or years after your tile was installed, there are a few reasons why this could happen. We’ve outlined the top three common reasons you have uneven tile floors.

Epoxy

Epoxy is a high-strength adhesive used to glue down flooring. When replacing tile or carpet, this adhesive needs to be removed by special equipment before installing new flooring. In some instances, a contract will smooth over the old layer with a new layer of epoxy because of how difficult it can be to completely remove epoxy.

This can ultimately ruin your new flooring and cause unevenness throughout your home. Before your contractor installs your new flooring, ask him or her about the epoxy and its risk of damaging your floors.

Initial Installation

If the job was done right, all of the floor’s joints should be even and the edges of each tile should be nice and level. Uneven tiles are often referred to as “lipping.” Lipping can also lead to chipping of the tiles where the floor between tiles is uneven. Before you hire your installation contractor, check the web for reviews in your community to lower the risk of hiring someone unqualified for the job.

Water Damage

Ceramic floor tiles are not affected by standing water, but the grout between the tiles are susceptible to water damage. Sometimes it’s easy to detect flood damage. But other times, such as a slow leaking pipe, can be harder to detect and the water can damage the grout. This causes the tiles to become loose and uneven. Not only can it cause the tiles to shift, but if the water sits too long and goes unnoticed or untouched, it can cause mold or dark staining.

The Solution to Uneven Tile Flooring

Unfortunately, the best solution to correcting uneven tile flooring is by starting from scratch. Here are the proper steps to remove your flooring so the outcome is perfectly even floors.

• Hire a floor removal contractor – trusting a floor removal company to expertly remove your tile flooring and prepare the surface below for new flooring.
• Find a reliable floor installation contractor
• Select your new flooring – new tile floor or switch to hardwood? Work with your local contractor to decide which floor is best for your needs.

Tile Removal and Surface Preparation with Speedy Floor Removal

Removing your tile floor is a timely, messy, and exhausting task. Let us do the hard work by removing your tile and eliminate your concerns of having an uneven surface underneath. Speedy Floor Removal not only provides tile removal services, but we also remove carpet, paint, hardwood flooring, and more! Contact us today to receive a free project estimate!

The process of removing tile and thinset can be messy; however, a virtually dustless floor removal prevents dust from filling up your home and settling. Having the proper equipment reduces airborne dust that ends up collecting in all areas of your home. We guarantee that our virtually dustless floor removal process captures about one pound of dust per square foot. Therefore, our virtually dustless process is cleaner, safer, and healthier than standard floor removing services.

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