Removing wall tile with Durock backer
AaronRosenthal
| Posted in General Discussion on
I have a series of bathtub surrounds to rebuild in an apartment building. There are cracked and shifted ceramic tiles in place over cement backer (Durock) right now as the building has settled.
I would like to remove the tiles while leaving the backer board in place, if possible. The building is (walls) cement block, (studs) metal and durock screwed into the studs.
Since my time is valuable too, and the tiler is waiting, I want to be able to do it quicker than breaking the tiles and durock, unscrewing and refitting durock or whatever.
Any suggestions from you professional tilers out there?
Replies
Aaron, are you replacing all the tiles or just the bottom row or so? I would think from experience that if a minor repair you might get lucky and be able to pop off enough tile / mastic or maybe not. You'll have to try one and find out. You'd have to get a good surface to set the repair in the same plane as the remaining tile. If you're replacing all the tile, I don't think you'll get lucky and you will remove it and the durock. Best of luck.
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Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Calvin, there is no way I will find 12 year old tiles in enough quantity for the repairs. Nope, they all got to go.
Pink is being replaced with white.
I understand. I hope you get lucky and they jump right off.__________________________________________
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Aaron, unfortunately you're going to have to rip it out. Durock is just a thin veneer of cement over fiberglass mesh. It takes very little force to seperate them (you should have holes by the third tile you try to remove even if it was set with mastic), and believe me your tilers are not going to "make up the difference" in thickness with thinset. Not if they've warrantied the job anyway. Demo it back to the studs and put up new CBU.
Good luck,
Brian
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________ Kitchen & Bath Builders, LLC
Brian Roberts, Manager
Thanks guys, for the info. I'm getting my angle grinder and diamond wheel ready, and I'm going to cut the boards with the wheel at the grout lines.
Resperators 'r us!
Aaron