When you remove floor tiles, the adhesive can either adhere to the tile or leave residue on the subfloor. It’s crucial to understand the most effective method for removing tile adhesives to ensure a clean surface for your new flooring. This guide will walk you through how to remove different tile adhesives easily.
Thinset mortar is a cement-based adhesive commonly used to set ceramic, porcelain, and natural stone tiles. It consists of cement, silica sand and a bonding agent. Removing thinset is a slow and dusty process, exposing your work area to hazardous silica dust. So it’s best to use a concrete grinder with a vacuum attached to collect the dust as you go.
Tile mastic is a premixed rubber-based adhesive with a glue consistency. It’s commonly used for installing ceramic tiles on walls and floors in dry areas. Rubber glue is difficult to remove and requires concrete grinders with a vacuum attached to prevent exposure to harmful silica dust.
Self-stick tiles come with an adhesive backing that is pressed onto the walls or subfloor during installation. These tiles are commonly used for DIY projects. This adhesive may come off when removing the tiles. Any residual adhesive may be removed with chemical solvents or a concrete grinder with a vacuum attached.
Vinyl adhesive is designed for bonding vinyl tiles or sheets to the subfloor. Chemical adhesive removers will help dissolve the adhesive for removal. However, all glues and adhesives are best removed with the use of a concrete grinder and vacuum attached.
Before diving into the removal process, it’s essential to know the type of adhesive used on the tiles and the type of subfloor the adhesive is stuck to. Different adhesives will require different removal methods. Knowing the best way to remove the adhesive will make the process easier.
The best and quickest way to remove floor tiles is using a jackhammer, which can expose harmful silica dust from the tile glue, so we suggest a vacuum attachment to your jackhammer. If you are removing a small area of tiles you may be able to use a hammer and bolster/tile chisel. If tiles are stuck down well, this method will be slow and difficult, plus it will still leave the glue behind.
Read our previous blog for more information on how to remove floor tiles.
Remove any remaining adhesive by following the proper method for the type of adhesive. You can try applying heat or chemical removers before scraping off vinyl or carpet adhesive, but this is very slow and difficult. The best and most efficient method to remove glue safely is using a concrete grinder with a vacuum attached.
Tile removal can be difficult and time-consuming, especially for a beginner. All Stripped uses an innovative dust-free tile removal method that makes the process of removing tiles virtually dust-free. If you need help removing tiles and adhesive from your floors, All Stripped can help. Contact us on 1300 760 589 to speak to your local All Stripped representative.