Glen & Kris Denning → Home Improvement → Bathroom Tile < Previous Next >
After removing the grout surrounding each broken tile with a utility knife, I started removing the tiles with a cold chisel and a hammer. This is the standard method that tile how-to books recommend for repairing a broken tile. Unfortunately, this method seems to damage the wall nearly as much as the tile.
After experimenting with a few other methods, I settled on using a MAPP gas torch to heat the tile. The heat softens the mastic behind the tile, making it much easier to pull the tile from the wall. As the tile heats and then cools, it cracks from internal stress. The cracks allow the tile to be removed in several pieces — much easier than trying to lift the entire tile off at once.
The next step was surface preparation for new tiles.