Removing Carrera Glass from walls, etc.
CarlyAnnie
| Posted in General Discussion on
We are remodeling our kitchen that is covered in light blue carrera glass. It was built around 1950 and has 16″ x 16″ opaque glass tiles all over the walls and ceiling. It would be great to take it down without breakage, but would like to know of the best way to remove it, regardless.
Replies
You might also try asking at the "Old House Journal" website
Fighting Ignorance since 1967
It's taking way longer than we thought
Thank you for the other website. We'll check it out.
Try this:
Cut through the joints between tiles with a thin-kerf diamond saw, completely through the plaster behind. Once a few tiles are freed on all 4 sides, it should be possible to wiggle them free of the studs. Once one is out, subsequent tiles will come out more easily.
You can pry gently on the plaster, but the tiles will have no flex, so easy does it.
Once tiles are off the wall, they can be soaked in water to disintegrate the plaster. With luck, the adhesive will be mastic that also disintegrates when soaked in water.
With plaster all gone, set tiles one at a time on a workbench atop a low-pile carpet scrap and carefully scrape off the residue. Organic solvents (such as paint thinner) may or may not be indicated to soften mastic. A Fein Multimaster with a scraping blade is also helpful in some cases, but you won't really know any of this until the tile is off the wall.
If you decide that all this is too much trouble, then just cut vertical sawkerfs from floor to ceiling and remove with sledge and crowbar. Wear gloves and glasses either way. Good luck.
Bill