You should have scored the grout lines with a box cutter first. The tiles are joined together by the grout, which makes each tile stronger. Separating the tiles by scoring the grout lines weakens the tile because it is no longer part of a group of tiles. It is on its own and easier to remove. The weaker of the tile or the sheetrock is what will give first - usually, it is the sheetrock or drywall unless you have scored the grout lines. This was harder to explain than I realized and I hope it makes sense to you.
Thank you random internet person! I’m so happy I found your comment. I tried what you said on my tile and it helped tremendously! Saved me time for sure🙌🏼
This was my EXACT same situation and I tried the EXACT same things you did. Thank you so much for sharing how you found a way to remove this IMPOSSIBLE TILE!! Thank you so so so much!
Bro. You are the frickin’ MAN. I’ve been looking at my tile, and I’m 90% sure I will encounter your situation. And I HATE the videos where everything is so easy! Thank you!!!
You have no idea how excited I am that you shared your experience! We have the EXACT same high gloss ugly tile in our kitchen and hate it. Whoever installed it had 0 clue what they were doing. Tiles are crooked in several spots, sticking out in others and just plain badly executed. They didn't even bother to clean up properly after installing because there's dried chunks of thinset and grout everywhere on the backsplash! I can't wait to use your tips. Thank you for sharing!
Gosh, like cutting the old drywall out withe tiles still on it and then just screwing new drywall to the studs would be so much easier and cleaner. Then you end up thinsetting new tiles to a totally fresh, straight surface. I'm about to embark on that project on a new house we are buying. It's brand new, but we hate the backsplash tile. My plan is to cut the drywall just under the cabinets, and right at the counter top and then pull the whole section out in as big a pieces as I can. Clean up the studs, and then screw in some new drywall. I think I can do all of that in less time than it takes to fix the f'd up drywall left behind, and that doesn't even include all that time spent carefully removing the tiles. I did this on my last house, and those tiles were set in a mud/morter base vs just thin setted to the walls.
I just accept that I'll be patching in the drywall before I start. Take a multimaster and cut all the way through your drywall around the entire perimeter of the tiled area. Then remove the whole tile/drywall/grout/thinset system at once. Now you have access if you want to change electrical or plumbing or add insulation etc. Replace the drywall and you have a wall that's ready for tile. It may seem like you are digging a deeper whole, but it's much less work in the end. Sometimes you can pop off tile pretty easily if it's not installed well, and maybe it's worth it in some situations but for the most part you are better off just cutting out the drywall. If I'm installing new tile I don't have to worry about making the mud look nice and if it's just going to be painted it's a lot easier preparing new drywall than fixing what happened in this video. (which is pretty typical).
You have no idea how happy I am that I found your video because my tile was the same way as your’s which resulted in me putting a hole in my drywall, and I couldn’t find any videos to help. I’ve tried your way which worked great so now all I have to do is repair that one hole. Thanks for posting!
Excellent video. I, too, watched other videos and used a crowbar and bashed a few holes in the drywall. Then I stopped that painful process, watched this video and one other that used the thin putty knife successfully and now I am going to tackle my tile again. Thanks!
You were better off cutting out the whole wall in minutes, then redrywalling it, because you'd start with a clean surface fast, instead of all the time on tile at a time, and still having to fix drywall.
I agree. We tried this (and several other methods found on UA-cam ) to 'safely' remove old tile with minimal damage to the dry wall. HAH...bottom line : we're cutting out the old wall ----tile and all --- and replacing it with new sheet rock. Another demo on UA-cam showed another capable man who 'safely' removed all the old tiles. He removed every tile. He took a look at the pock-marked drywall, and announced her was going to mark a line, cut out the old and replace it with new drywall. No matter WHAT you try, if the old tile was put on 'for life' (!) , just plan on cutting new pieces of sheet rock...you'll save your sanity (if you have any left after all this madness !) Happy remodeling, my friends :-)
You are spot on. Even the spots where he took the tiles off at the end left the drywall with its paper surface pulled off, leaving it unsalvageable. He meant well, and is to be commended for that, but the truth is the truth.
That’s exactly what I did forget that nonsense just cut the drywall out using a multi tool and a blade it comes out so simple and just put the drywall up you can tile right over it. I’m sure it’s going to save time as well
After removal of the tile, your left with thinset or adhesive remnants adhered to the drywall, or whatever substrate is below the tile. How do you deal with the drywall to restore a smooth surface for applying new tile or some other treatment?
Some great techniques that I will definitely try, but I think when I have only a few tiles to replace. If I was removing the entire backsplash, I would cut out the whole wall. I have tried a hundred times to remove tile without damaging the drywall. Now I don't bother. I cut it out - Tile, Drywall and all! Then you have a clean piece to work with.
I'm so glad to read this comment. I've spent two hours chiseling away at a travertine backsplash with inlaid glass tile, and I maybe have one square foot removed, with seriously damaged drywall. I'm giving up and cutting out the drywall!
I'm so glad I'm not the only one whose walls look like that after tile removal! I pried only one backsplash tile off my kitchen wall and am left with destroyed drywall. It's so bad that I'm considering just patching that whole, then covering up the rest of the backsplash with something - I just don't know with what. Any ideas out there?
Was your tile all white? If so, I'm wondering why you removed it. To me, that would have been a nice classic look. I had this hideous peachy coloured ceramic tile on both sides of a galley kitchen. It was truly, truly gruesome. In the end, I just cut the drywall and replaced it. It saved me a whole lotta headache.
Yep! You are doing it right. It's pretty much impossible to do without wrecking the drywall, seems like there are always a few that will pull drywall out. It would have been easier if the time were thinner and you run a glass cutter in an X on the tile face, this will help it fracture sometimes. Most likely, there was only a primer coat on the drywall. If there had been a finish cost or two on it before being tiled, it would come off easier, maybe. The thicker the tile, the more likely you will have major drywall failures. You could just not worry about it, as there is a lot of cement left to clean up on the drywall before re-tiling, and just cut out the drywall and replace. This is what mostly happens, and periods do this as it's quicker.
Thanks for the video! Good information...although it looks like you definitely will have to replace the drywall so now you should be enjoying destroying the drywall as you rip that tile off! Lol!
I have seen some ppl go over the grout with a taser blade to break it up he hold between the tiles. Then I saw someone run into the same problem as you. And they just cut the back splash out and just repair the dry wall
I think that tearing up the drywall which the tile is glued to is unavoidable. Hence the thin set must be very strong to be able to hold the tile on the verticle wall while installing the original tile. If anybody finds away to not put holes in the drywall they will probably make a fortune. Thanks for this video. Sharing information is the way to go bro.
The sheetrock is so damaged it'll have to be replaced. If the sheetrock is going to be a lost cause anyway, I think I would just score along the top edge of the tiles, cutting through the drywall and pull off the whole backsplash in a sheet. If that's doable. I've never tried. That would be my strategy as first-time diy-er.
Just finished doing this in a few places in my house. Here's my advice: (1) score grout lines (2) chisel + hammer (chisel should be parallel to wall, like on the wall, touching the wall so it doesn't dig in) (3) tons of repair + tons of sanding and more repair Happy tile removing!
I thought it was just me! Thanks, you helped me mix it up a bit, now I'm actually getting some off. Might end up with tongue and groove, as it's not a splashback, it's just a random cover behind the toilet, can't have ever looked nice. Wear a mask!
I have irritating that older glass mesh mosaic tile I’m trying to get up in my kitchen and the guy who did it needs to be slapped upside his head I can’t even believe that someone paid him to do such a horrible job if I could ugh 😑
Any tile removed easily was not installed properly. Period.when installed properly its ALWAYS a nightmare to remove tiles.Fact.25+ years tiler.Id hate to remove tile I installed And Hope to remove tiles from the 80% tile Hacks out there playing contractor
it just is not worth the aggravation. Just gut it and start new. Nobody uses thin set to install wall tile. You need a baby butt smooth tiling surface. This will not work.
You can't Tile over such a shitty wall after removing it causing that much damage and inconsistent wall prep! Unless using a full Backsplash slab without any joints this will be hideous, no mesh mounted tile or even simple subway can go on such a bumpy Mess!So remove drywall needed anyway. Unless a full splash
You should have scored the grout lines with a box cutter first. The tiles are joined together by the grout, which makes each tile stronger. Separating the tiles by scoring the grout lines weakens the tile because it is no longer part of a group of tiles. It is on its own and easier to remove. The weaker of the tile or the sheetrock is what will give first - usually, it is the sheetrock or drywall unless you have scored the grout lines. This was harder to explain than I realized and I hope it makes sense to you.
Thank you random internet person! I’m so happy I found your comment. I tried what you said on my tile and it helped tremendously! Saved me time for sure🙌🏼
I was thinking the same. Was looking for someone if they had suggested and then i saw this comment. Will try this for sure.
Cheers 👍
I tried that too, and it didn't help. The grout must be 50 years old. Probably asbestos in this stuff too.
I am going to use a ceramic blade on my little mini saw, I think that’ll help a lot.
This was my EXACT same situation and I tried the EXACT same things you did. Thank you so much for sharing how you found a way to remove this IMPOSSIBLE TILE!! Thank you so so so much!
Bro. You are the frickin’ MAN. I’ve been looking at my tile, and I’m 90% sure I will encounter your situation. And I HATE the videos where everything is so easy! Thank you!!!
You have no idea how excited I am that you shared your experience! We have the EXACT same high gloss ugly tile in our kitchen and hate it. Whoever installed it had 0 clue what they were doing. Tiles are crooked in several spots, sticking out in others and just plain badly executed. They didn't even bother to clean up properly after installing because there's dried chunks of thinset and grout everywhere on the backsplash! I can't wait to use your tips. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for sharing! We have the same tile and I’m about to start the process of replacing the backsplash.
Gosh, like cutting the old drywall out withe tiles still on it and then just screwing new drywall to the studs would be so much easier and cleaner. Then you end up thinsetting new tiles to a totally fresh, straight surface. I'm about to embark on that project on a new house we are buying. It's brand new, but we hate the backsplash tile. My plan is to cut the drywall just under the cabinets, and right at the counter top and then pull the whole section out in as big a pieces as I can. Clean up the studs, and then screw in some new drywall. I think I can do all of that in less time than it takes to fix the f'd up drywall left behind, and that doesn't even include all that time spent carefully removing the tiles. I did this on my last house, and those tiles were set in a mud/morter base vs just thin setted to the walls.
I just accept that I'll be patching in the drywall before I start. Take a multimaster and cut all the way through your drywall around the entire perimeter of the tiled area. Then remove the whole tile/drywall/grout/thinset system at once. Now you have access if you want to change electrical or plumbing or add insulation etc. Replace the drywall and you have a wall that's ready for tile. It may seem like you are digging a deeper whole, but it's much less work in the end.
Sometimes you can pop off tile pretty easily if it's not installed well, and maybe it's worth it in some situations but for the most part you are better off just cutting out the drywall. If I'm installing new tile I don't have to worry about making the mud look nice and if it's just going to be painted it's a lot easier preparing new drywall than fixing what happened in this video. (which is pretty typical).
You have no idea how happy I am that I found your video because my tile was the same way as your’s which resulted in me putting a hole in my drywall, and I couldn’t find any videos to help. I’ve tried your way which worked great so now all I have to do is repair that one hole. Thanks for posting!
Excellent video. I, too, watched other videos and used a crowbar and bashed a few holes in the drywall. Then I stopped that painful process, watched this video and one other that used the thin putty knife successfully and now I am going to tackle my tile again. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing your tips. This is why I've been hesitant on starting.
This is exactly what I needed to help me on a project I have now. Thanks.
You were better off cutting out the whole wall in minutes, then redrywalling it, because you'd start with a clean surface fast, instead of all the time on tile at a time, and still having to fix drywall.
I agree. We tried this (and several other methods found on UA-cam ) to 'safely' remove old tile with minimal damage to the dry wall. HAH...bottom line : we're cutting out the old wall ----tile and all --- and replacing it with new sheet rock. Another demo on UA-cam showed another capable man who 'safely' removed all the old tiles. He removed every tile. He took a look at the pock-marked drywall, and announced her was going to mark a line, cut out the old and replace it with new drywall. No matter WHAT you try, if the old tile was put on 'for life' (!) , just plan on cutting new pieces of sheet rock...you'll save your sanity (if you have any left after all this madness !) Happy remodeling, my friends :-)
You are spot on. Even the spots where he took the tiles off at the end left the drywall with its paper surface pulled off, leaving it unsalvageable. He meant well, and is to be commended for that, but the truth is the truth.
That’s exactly what I did forget that nonsense just cut the drywall out using a multi tool and a blade it comes out so simple and just put the drywall up you can tile right over it. I’m sure it’s going to save time as well
After removal of the tile, your left with thinset or adhesive remnants adhered to the drywall, or whatever substrate is below the tile. How do you deal with the drywall to restore a smooth surface for applying new tile or some other treatment?
A heat gun may work.
We must have had the same tile installer...I'm running to the kitchen to try this. Thanks!
Some great techniques that I will definitely try, but I think when I have only a few tiles to replace. If I was removing the entire backsplash, I would cut out the whole wall. I have tried a hundred times to remove tile without damaging the drywall. Now I don't bother. I cut it out - Tile, Drywall and all! Then you have a clean piece to work with.
I'm so glad to read this comment. I've spent two hours chiseling away at a travertine backsplash with inlaid glass tile, and I maybe have one square foot removed, with seriously damaged drywall. I'm giving up and cutting out the drywall!
Thank you for the guidance
Thanks the scraper behind the tile and hammer technique left more of the plasterboard in place.
I'm so glad I'm not the only one whose walls look like that after tile removal! I pried only one backsplash tile off my kitchen wall and am left with destroyed drywall. It's so bad that I'm considering just patching that whole, then covering up the rest of the backsplash with something - I just don't know with what. Any ideas out there?
This worked like a charm. Thank you, thank you , thank you!!!!
It WORKS!! THANK YOU!
So can you put tile up without spacing them, and for the tile That isn't spaced
What should I expect?
Thank You ,Penny
I have cut out a HUGE chunk of my wall I figured I needed to just re-drywall after I started.. I am going to try this I needed some tips thank you!
Was your tile all white? If so, I'm wondering why you removed it. To me, that would have been a nice classic look. I had this hideous peachy coloured ceramic tile on both sides of a galley kitchen. It was truly, truly gruesome. In the end, I just cut the drywall and replaced it. It saved me a whole lotta headache.
I loved your video. You were intertaining and funny..plus I learned what not to do.. Lol thanks.
Damn man im going thru this right now. Thanks!!
Thank you!!
Don't think that is thin-set bonding those tiles. More like an adhesive.
You a smart dude. Thanks.
Yep! You are doing it right. It's pretty much impossible to do without wrecking the drywall, seems like there are always a few that will pull drywall out. It would have been easier if the time were thinner and you run a glass cutter in an X on the tile face, this will help it fracture sometimes. Most likely, there was only a primer coat on the drywall. If there had been a finish cost or two on it before being tiled, it would come off easier, maybe. The thicker the tile, the more likely you will have major drywall failures. You could just not worry about it, as there is a lot of cement left to clean up on the drywall before re-tiling, and just cut out the drywall and replace. This is what mostly happens, and periods do this as it's quicker.
Good job, will work better if you score or cut grout around each tile first reducing adhesion!
Thanks for the video! Good information...although it looks like you definitely will have to replace the drywall so now you should be enjoying destroying the drywall as you rip that tile off! Lol!
Thanks for sharing sir!
Depends on the glue used a heatgun / paintstripper and scraper worked great for me .
I have seen some ppl go over the grout with a taser blade to break it up he hold between the tiles. Then I saw someone run into the same problem as you. And they just cut the back splash out and just repair the dry wall
thank you
Thank you for sharing
Thank you very much for sharing this good informations
What about a multi tool with a scraper blade?
I think that tearing up the drywall which the tile is glued to is unavoidable. Hence the thin set must be very strong to be able to hold the tile on the verticle wall while installing the original tile. If anybody finds away to not put holes in the drywall they will probably make a fortune. Thanks for this video. Sharing information is the way to go bro.
Lol that’s my situation so I gave up & now watching your video 😂
❤ thanks for sharing ❤❤
I have the exact same problem on a brick wall
The sheetrock is so damaged it'll have to be replaced. If the sheetrock is going to be a lost cause anyway, I think I would just score along the top edge of the tiles, cutting through the drywall and pull off the whole backsplash in a sheet. If that's doable. I've never tried. That would be my strategy as first-time diy-er.
Just finished doing this in a few places in my house. Here's my advice:
(1) score grout lines
(2) chisel + hammer (chisel should be parallel to wall, like on the wall, touching the wall so it doesn't dig in)
(3) tons of repair + tons of sanding and more repair
Happy tile removing!
Sorry, clarification - the hammer is not hitting the tile but the chisel handle
It's called a small, metal hammer.
I thought it was just me! Thanks, you helped me mix it up a bit, now I'm actually getting some off. Might end up with tongue and groove, as it's not a splashback, it's just a random cover behind the toilet, can't have ever looked nice. Wear a mask!
You are not supposed to pry at all, you pull it as you work it behind the tile. Leverage with the traditional pry was the mistake there.
Tile over existing , replace sheetrock or use a multi tool.
Except I have the tiny glass tiles all held together by mesh. Hopeless. I assume I’ll have to have new drywall installed.
It’s ok to damage the wall, replace the drywall later.
I have irritating that older glass mesh mosaic tile I’m trying to get up in my kitchen and the guy who did it needs to be slapped upside his head I can’t even believe that someone paid him to do such a horrible job if I could ugh 😑
Bud, you need to just cut out the drywall and replace it
Any tile removed easily was not installed properly. Period.when installed properly its ALWAYS a nightmare to remove tiles.Fact.25+ years tiler.Id hate to remove tile I installed And Hope to remove tiles from the 80% tile Hacks out there playing contractor
it just is not worth the aggravation. Just gut it and start new. Nobody uses thin set to install wall tile. You need a baby butt smooth tiling surface. This will not work.
You can't Tile over such a shitty wall after removing it causing that much damage and inconsistent wall prep! Unless using a full Backsplash slab without any joints this will be hideous, no mesh mounted tile or even simple subway can go on such a bumpy Mess!So remove drywall needed anyway. Unless a full splash