# Newbie to 1950's house - tile adhesive removal?



## FixyChik (Jan 1, 2009)

Hi. I just bought a 1950's house near Cleveland and will need lots of advice from all of you. I'm pretty handy but a lot of this is new. 
First project - I have a 4x4 entryway that had old linoleum over core board on top of concrete. I think I would like to stain the concrete. Any advice on how to get the old adhesive (Mastick?) off the concrete? The hardwood guy sanded down far enough in a small spot to determine there was no wood there, but it took him awhile. 
I also have to take out the original porcelain tile from the 1/2 bath floor, and it is also directly applied to concrete. I suppose it would be easier to apply tile over both areas, but I think the stained concrete will be pretty cool. Thanks for your advice.


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## garnett557 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Ceramic tile in the bathroom*

Hi my house has a small bathroom and it had the ceramic tiles fixed directly to concrete as well. I had to take a 2 pound mallet and crack the floor out. I could have tiled over but I didn't want the bathroom to have that slight raise that it would have- also there is a nice marble threshold that I wanted to keep. It was a lot of work but the bathroom was small and it didn't take that long. I have the leveler poured now and I am waiting for my tiles to come in. But hopefully I will have a good looking floor before long!
Now if I could only get the tiles off the wall. They are fixed by concrete too. My husband wants me to smash them off with the mallet but there has to be a better way. I might try using a saw and starting from the top and just ripping it off. I really don't want to start smashing the wall with a sledgehammer


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## FixyChik (Jan 1, 2009)

*ceramic tiles*

Thanks, Garnett. I guess I'll have to start smashing the floor tiles. My house has another bathroom with pink and black tile going about 5 feet up the wall everywhere, including the shower. A contractor told me that to get the tile off the wall, it would take off the plaster and I would have to have everything drywalled. I've decided to embrace the pink and black tile in that room!! Good luck with your project.


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## Dr Dave (Jan 1, 2009)

you can use a scabbler tool .. sorta like a mini jack hammer.. i have a Hilti brand and it is fantastic.. just be careful they pack quite a punch, plasterboard can be fixed so i wouldn't worry about it to much, along as you don't put a huge hole in it


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## buletbob (May 9, 2008)

FixyChik said:


> Hi. I just bought a 1950's house near Cleveland and will need lots of advice from all of you. I'm pretty handy but a lot of this is new.
> First project - I have a 4x4 entryway that had old linoleum over core board on top of concrete. I think I would like to stain the concrete. Any advice on how to get the old adhesive (Mastick?) off the concrete? The hardwood guy sanded down far enough in a small spot to determine there was no wood there, but it took him awhile.
> I also have to take out the original porcelain tile from the 1/2 bath floor, and it is also directly applied to concrete. I suppose it would be easier to apply tile over both areas, but I think the stained concrete will be pretty cool. Thanks for your advice.


Not to sure on the mastic! But as for the tile on the concrete, we use our flat bars and hammers to chip the tile up and to clean up the thinset, its not really that bad, make sure to where safety glasses and gloves, You could also us a demo hammer with a flat spade bit installed.


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## slickshift (Aug 25, 2005)

Welcome to the site
The mastic will need to be scrapped off
A product called "Contractor Solvent" is your best bet to soften it
As it's old stuff, it may be difficult

It also won't leave the best surface to use stain
(new or clean, old, stuff in great shape is best)

However, if you can get it pretty clean, you can use a floor paint on it
(Porch & Floor or Floor & Patio)


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## garnett557 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Question for Dave*

Hi Dave, so this scabbler tool would be the way for me to get my old tile off of the bathroom wall and for Fixy Chick too if she gets tired of the pink and black...
so how do you use it? Do you just bust the tiles up? Mine are concreted on. I tried a masons chisel which didn't do anything so then I tried a dremel and almost killed the thing! Then I got a grout remover kit that had a tool that was supposed to allow you to cut the grout which would enable you to pop the tiles out. I burned up bits and never did get one piece out. I ended up painting the tile but since I'm gonna have this killer floor I really want to get that old tile out! The tile comes about midway up. The original owners had this plastic orange peel stuff all over the walls above and the ceiling. I couldn't get that stuff off either so I ended up skimming and smoothing the walls down. I am happy with everything execpt that old tile!


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## Dr Dave (Jan 1, 2009)

hi again, sounds like its a tough job! i have worked with concrete companies using these power tools and they will smash those tiles off no problem, i think bulletbob posted a message and he called it a "demo Hammer" or something that kind of sounds like what i was talking about with the flat chisel end. its sorta like this anyway http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=O9IlHiHTNvY&feature=related but a lot smaller of course.. about the size of a big drill. but it is a lot of fun 
u can hire them for about 30 to 50 dollars a day.. well worth it


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## angus242 (May 1, 2008)

garrett, do you plan on tiling the walls again after removing the old tile? If so, just bust up the wall and replace with new wallboard. It will save you a lot of time in the long run. You will still have to tape the seams but only with alkali resistant tape and thinset. One coat and you're ready to tile.
If you didn't want to put more tile up, I don't see anyway you're going to save the wall for painting or anything else.
Save yourself the time. Use a utility knife to score the wall along the top of the tiles so you don't ruin the part of the wall without tile and the beat the crap out of the wall or jackhammer out. Replace with appropriate wall board and voila!
BTW, this is the tool I own for this situation. Get a spade bit and it will eat the tile up!


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## FixyChik (Jan 1, 2009)

After reading all the advice, I've decided not to stain the concrete in my entryway or powder room. Getting the tile off the concrete floor with any kind of success sounds like waaay too much trouble.
I'm going to put marble or granite tile down instead. Thanks for all the advice.


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## angus242 (May 1, 2008)

I'm confused. Are you saying instead of staining the concrete, you want to install tile? If so, you need to remove all of the adhesive from the cement to lay tile too.


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## FixyChik (Jan 1, 2009)

Bummer. I guess I'll get the adhesive off and see how the concrete looks, then decide what to do. Sigh.


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## garnett557 (Jun 20, 2008)

*The wall*

Thanks Angus and Dave for the suggestions- I wasn't planning to put up new tile but I was looking at it and some of newer stuff is not too bad. I am still leaning on not putting up tile though. That tool looks pretty cool- I am going to check on those to see how much they cost- a friend of mine works at a rental place so it may be cheaper for me to rent- either way I just want that ugly!!! tile off the wall!


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## Jambruins (Dec 1, 2008)

you may want to have the adhesive checked for asbestos before you start ripping it up. Anything installed prior to 1980 (I believe) could have asbestos in it.


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## rustyjames (Jul 20, 2008)

Jambruins said:


> you may want to have the adhesive checked for asbestos before you start ripping it up. Anything installed prior to 1980 (I believe) could have asbestos in it.


Good call, because that's a very good possibility.


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## garnett557 (Jun 20, 2008)

*asbestos*

The house was built in 1930 so it is possible that it could have asbestos- I was worried about the floor when I tore that up but it ended up being OK...
Thanks for the tip- I didn't know that the adhesive itself could have asbestos in it...


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## losttool (Dec 2, 2008)

Pour mastic romover on the glue and squeegee it up then repeat. It may be a little dark, but this should give the stain more character.:thumbsup:


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## Mavky (Jan 8, 2009)

*similar tile/concrete question*

I have a similar kind of question. My second floor tile shower has a mystery leak, noticeable on the ceiling below. In doing an autopsy of my shower, I discovered that it is made of four inch concrete walls reinforced with wire. Over this appears to be a layer of portland cement in which the tiles are laid. I am trying to decide what parts of the shower I want to replace, since I'd like whatever I do to last at least the next twenty years. These are the options, as far as I can tell:
1) retile just the damaged areas (a few tiles along the lip and two cracked tiles in the shower floor). Patch a few areas where the grout has deteriorated (an especially significant gap between the floor and the curb inside the shower).
2) take out the entire shower floor to replace the pan, which may or may not be leaking. I am wondering if a shower pan leak is even possible in such a sturdy concrete shower, but a handyman came over and said there is a possibility it is the pan.
3) Retile the entire shower. . this seems like it would require a lot of skill, since I have read that the guys who set tile in portland cement were real masters of the craft. Is there some kind of alternative?

So if you were in my shoes, what would you do? I like stuff to be well-built and last a long time.

Thanks! Mavky


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## angus242 (May 1, 2008)

Mavky

A leak is not a good thing. The leak could be the pan or somewhere with the drain. Instead of spending time and money replacing just tile, I'd considering removing the entire thing and starting over. Sorry, that's probably not what you want to hear. 
Although, installing brand new might not be as hard as you think. You are learning first hand the importance of waterproofing. Take a look at his:
http://www.schluter.com/8_4_kerdi_shower_kit.aspx
and watch this:
http://www.schluter.com/7207.htm (click on each section to the right)
If you have some tiling knowledge and the itch to DIY, this may be your answer. It's what I use to build showers. Done correctly, it will last 20+ years no problem! :thumbup:


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## Mavky (Jan 8, 2009)

Hi Angus, thanks! I have noticed many references to the Kerdi system when I began researching what to do with my shower. Are you paid by Schluter at all? I'm a natural-born skeptic, so I just have to ask that. So, would I need to take out the four inches of concrete shell and strip the whole thing down to the studs? It really does look effective! And there goes my spring break!

Mavky


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