I haven’t found anything via search so posting new…
I have tiles that go under my existing kitchen cabinets and want to put in new engineered wood floors throughout. Removing the cabinets seems like a big and scary project so I would appreciate feedback on attempting to cut out the tile close to the cabinets avoiding removal and re-install.
Is there a way to score them so they snap off or some sort of tool? The air hammer isn’t the most exact tool in the box.
Thanks!
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Replies
ceramic or vynal tiles???
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I've never had to deal with your situation, but you've got nothing to lose by trying to break the tiles and removing them. Maybe use the short end of a wonderbar or similar to crack the tiles next to the cabinets?
I can't think of any power tool that might be useful here. A MultiMaster, even with a grout blade, isn't going to do the job. And a mini grinder probably won't fit.
BTW, removing the cabinets can be pretty easy, depending on the kind of countertops you have.
If the tile has a reasonably soft glaze a Multimaster with a grout blade would probably work, but it would be slow and tedious and you'd likely go through several blades. Plus you'd almost certainly scratch up the kick.I can imagine a heavy-duty version of a Wonder Bar that would allow you to pound with a 3-pound hammer and nibble away the tile. A plain Wonder Bar is too springy and would just cause the hammer to bounce back and hit you in the face, though.
As I stood before the gates I realized that I never want to be as certain about anything as were the people who built this place. --Rabbi Sheila Peltz, on her visit to Auschwitz
"bounce back and hit you in the face"
what, you don't need a reflex test?
The problem is, after a half-dozen hits your reflexes start getting slower and slower.
As I stood before the gates I realized that I never want to be as certain about anything as were the people who built this place. --Rabbi Sheila Peltz, on her visit to Auschwitz
I would use an angle grinder with a diamond blade, FTW. Prolly would want to use base shoe or similar at the perimeter against the kick.Edit: I didn't think of that, Shep! Yeah, 3 inches>4 inches. Duh!Maybe it would fit in at an angle?Hmmmmmmmm........
Edited 8/31/2009 10:01 pm by kenhill3
You'll never get a standard angle grinder under the toe kick.
As I stood before the gates I realized that I never want to be as certain about anything as were the people who built this place. --Rabbi Sheila Peltz, on her visit to Auschwitz
Right, maybe at an angle.
I would remove the base cabinets and save a lot of crawling, dust in face, busted knuckles, dings in toekick and cabinet frames, cussin', noise and other unpleasantries.
From the time of the original post, unless this kitchen is huge with granite countertops, we would have had all of the countertops safely in the garage by now, base cabinets in a few more hours.
Be yankin' out the tile tomorrow.
Jim
Never underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
Edited 8/31/2009 10:13 pm ET by JTC1
Edited 8/31/2009 10:15 pm ET by JTC1
Some base cabinets come out easy, others not so easy. If the countertop isn't being replaced and there is, eg, a tile backsplash, removing the cabinets will destroy the backsplash. And a lot of cabinets are at least partially built in place and would be destroyed by removing them. And the sink cabinet won't come out without undoing a lot of plumbing.
As I stood before the gates I realized that I never want to be as certain about anything as were the people who built this place. --Rabbi Sheila Peltz, on her visit to Auschwitz
had to know...
took a RTA grinder with a 4" diamond blade...
it fit at an angle...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
a 4" RTA grinder should fit...
score and snap off...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
Yoo hoo, Mr. Tool Monger,You could get this http://www.exaktsaw.com and report back on how many tiles you can cut with it.I'm kidding, but it is funny what you see on those late night/early morning infomercials when the baby isn't sleeping. Though for all the times I've seen the Multimaster one, I still don't have one. LOL'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
View Image
Interesting gadget, but I don't think even that saw would cut under a toekick.
hey, don't you keep your credit card by you for those you-can't-resist late night infomercial offers? LOL
I wonder if scoring the tile with a dremel and snapping it along the score line would work. Or at least help to get remove tile closer to the toe kick.
The thing is that when snapping tiles, they're usually snapped away from the score. In this case, they're being snapped towards the score.
When I re-did my kitchen, I installed the cabinets before the floor and the toe kicks after so it looks like the floor tiles go under the cabinets, but they don't. The OP needs to make sure how they're floor tiles were done before starting.
Thanks for the feedback everyone. The tile is ceramic and it's particle board below. My plan it to try to get close to the island and if it's too bad I will remove all base cabinets.
I kinda figured that there was no easy solution. I have a quote for $850 for removal (with cuts) and disposal... we'll see how attractive that is after the first couple of hours.
jack
What's under the tile? Backer? Plywood?
I think you might be on the right track with scoring them at the front of kick. How about dragging a laminate scoring tool across. Then when you bust them up at least they're more likely to break at toe kick line.
http://www.shagtools.com/tools/Crain-Score-Tool-05-344.cfm
I don't envy you that job!
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
I wonder if you could put this blade
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=41743
on this saw
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94626
Might have to take the guard off
i like that system if the blade would work on the saw.
i'm thinking that blade, buy a set of the bushings hf sells for 3.00.
then reduce to a 1/4. take a 1/4 bolt and make a arbor. use a rotozip to power.
i'm sure it would be osha approved.the older i get ,
the more people tick me off
if you are dropping down to a 1/4" arbor - might try this blade
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=67264
it is a smaller diameter blade designed for their Multi Master knock off
I would think with either blade you would want a variable speed roto zip - those things spin awfully fast
It was only under 2 vanities, but I used a demo hammer with a tile bit and got away with no damage to the toekick, the tiles kind of broke just under it. About $50 rental for 24 hrs at the big orange store. One warning, they make LOTS of dust.
note for the next time...
if ya use a demo hammer to again like that... lay down a strip of duct tape and cut thru the tape..
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
thanks for the tip!
If you can't get all the way to the kick cleanly you might consider building out the kicks another 3/4". Assuming that doesn't cause other problems.
John
Buy a box of 3" cutoff discs and an arbor to fit in a drill motor. Or go whole hawg and buy a pneumatic mini die grinder with an appropriate arbor for the abrasive discs.
Wear a dust mask while cutting....
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
foolish men call Justice....