Replies

1. 
   Fonzie | Jun 25, 2005 04:52pm | #1

   I remember doing the "wall whack" thing in the past - the customer was in the next room and I'm not sure they ever recovered from it - I mean got comfortable in that bathroom again.

   I would suggest a little more finesse' - something like remove a row that allows you to cut (suggest a hand drywall saw here to avoid cutting something important) the tile up in 3 ft x 3 ft squares and pull the drywall off in that square - tile and all. Just a suggestion.

2. 
   YesMaam27577 | Jun 25, 2005 05:25pm | #2

   If you're confident that there is backerboard behind the tile, then your job really is not that difficult. If the tile is set on a mortar bed, then you'll be there a while.

   For backerboard walls, I use an angle grinder with a diamond blade to cut vertical kerfs from floor to ceiling.  I don't pay attention to where the studs are, but I try to put one cut in each stud bay.

   Then just grab one side of a section and pull out, while pushing on the other side. It should rock free without too much trouble. Once the screw threads have gouged the wood around them. they'll pull out easily.

   And if it was concrete/mortar with wire lathe and nails, get used to that rocking and pulling motion. An average shower can take a couple of days.

    

    

   Unless you're the lead dog, the view just never changes.

3. 
   steve | Jun 25, 2005 08:15pm | #3

   finesse, finesse, finesse

   cut and pull, dont pound, you'll do way too much damage to the other side of the wall

   caulking is not a piece of trim

1. 
   Nuke | Jun 25, 2005 08:38pm | #4

   Here are a couple of picks on a bathroom in the home that hasn't been used. Same exact thing in terms of [poor] construction and tile installation. The tile surface stands out at least 7/8" from the adjacent drywall--I never realized how thick it was.

4. 
   DanH | Jun 25, 2005 08:42pm | #5

   If you're planning to keep the tub, the very first thing to do is to protect it with several layers of cardboard and plastic.

1. 
   Nuke | Jun 25, 2005 08:57pm | #6

   Yeah, I have a bunch of cardboard in the garage and some plastic and canvass tarps. You think if I knock of those edges it could give me a better idea of what is behind the tile? I could get a blade for the circular saw and cut into a grout line to break it up by cutting through the concrete board.

1. 
   RalphWicklund | Jun 25, 2005 09:53pm | #7

   You're going to mess up the whole place anyhow. I'd start at the top, above the tile, and remove all that first. Then, you'll have a look-see into each stud bay to determine your next move.

   Don't go whacking away with a sledge or you could be repairing a wall on the opposite side. Also makes a real mess of tiny, extremely sharp, fast moving tile shards.

   That radius tile trim indicates (to me) that you could very well have a mortar bed substrate which is usually thick and heavy. I've used a crowbar successfully to pry chunks, tile and all, off the studs without damage to the other side. I've also had a whole section, from inside corner to edge, maybe 4' x 5', drop off the studs. THAT is heavy.

1. 
   reganva | Jun 25, 2005 10:21pm | #8

   Sorry for the sidetrack, but this reminds me of a funny story.  My first experience tiling was on a small bath I had gutted and drywalled.  Put up tile around the whole room up to about 5'.  Demoing the old stuff was easy because it was just paneled.

   Got that room done and moved on to the kitchen which appeared to date back to the 20's or 30's  It shared a wet wall with the bath and in the kitchen this wall had metal lath, mortar and inch thick tiles.  I was trying to break up the wall with a 5# hammer.  I was barely making a dent but I kept hearing things falling and breaking.  Turned out my new tiles on the other side of the wall were flying off, but the tiles I was banging on were unfazed.

2. 
   DanH | Jun 25, 2005 10:48pm | #9

   Don't forget to cushion anything else that's fairly delecate -- especially if you use the sledge (and even with a sawzall) you could end up with some splinters flying.Wear full body armor when banging or sawing.