Many homeowners are removing their tile flooring to lay down hardwood flooring. Not only is hardwood a beautiful addition to any home, but this flooring choice is also warmer and softer under your feet. However, first things first, you must remove the tile from the home before you can get started in laying down any hardwood floor. There are some homeowners that are used to doing these kinds of projects themselves but most are not. Mike’s Custom Flooring is here to talk about some of the challenges that you may face when you try to tackle removing tile flooring on your own.

Tile Removal Dust & Debris

Removing a tile floor from your home is going to be a messy task. You need to prepare yourself for the high amounts of dust that will be present. You may want to cover any furniture in the area and go that extra mile to try and contain the dust. If you have an HVAC system that circulates the air in your home, consider turning it off or at the very least, closing the vents that are found in that area. You can also close off the entryways into the space with plastic sheeting which will go a long way in keeping the dust somewhat contained. You should never try to remove tile flooring without wearing a dust mask.

Start Removing Tile Flooring at the Weakest Spot

There are many tile floors that have a spot that is weaker than others. This is especially true for older tile floors. If there is a loose or broken tile in your floor, this is where you will want to start. Using a hammer and chisel, give it a good strike. If the tile broke into large chunks, this means that your floor was set using mastic. If not, your floor was probably laid using mortar, and this job will be a difficult one for you.

Difference Between Mastic & Mortar Tile Adhesive

The demolition of a tile floor will vary greatly depending on how the tile was laid. If it was laid using mastic, you will find this is easier. Mastic is a malleable adhesive that makes it so that once you get under the first tile, you can simply scrape the rest of them off. If the tile was laid using mortar, you will probably be using a hammer and a chisel. You will likely have to chisel out every single tile, sometimes multiple strikes, to get rid of it. This is much more difficult to remove than mastic.

Ceramic Tile Demolition, Removal & More in Charles Town & Eastern Panhandle of Berkeley & Jefferson Counties in WV | Winchester & Frederick County | Round Hill & Loudoun County | Berryville & Clarke County | Herndon & Fairfax County VA

Removing a tile floor can be a labor-some and tedious job. Not only that, but it is a lot of time on your knees, hammering away at the tile and mortar. For this reason, you may want to leave this dirty job up to the professionals at Mike’s Custom Flooring. We will have your old tile flooring removed in no time and save you from the hassle. Call us today!