Nothing looks quite as good as shiny new floor tiling in a renovated bathroom. First things first, you’ll need to learn how to remove bathroom tiles before you can install new ones.
We won’t lie to you: There is serious sweat equity involved in this DIY project. But with the right tools, careful planning, and safe execution, most homeowners can tackle the job on their own. Follow this handy guide to removing bathroom tile like a pro.
Prepping to Remove Bathroom Tile
This how-to guide will show you how to remove tiles manually without power tools, which is the gentlest way to tackle the job. It might take a bit longer, but it’ll preserve the subfloor underneath, which could save you hundreds of dollars.
Depending on the type and amount of tile you're removing, you may need access to a range of disposal methods, such as renting a dumpster or hiring a junk removal service. You can also donate, sell, or reuse ceramic tiles that are still in good shape.
Protect Yourself and Your Bathroom Amenities
Start by placing drop cloth on the sink, tub, door handles, and any other delicate items on or in your bathroom you want to protect. Wear safety goggles and glasses while you work.
Remove Your Toilet
Photo: Pixel-Shot / Adobe Stock
There’s typically a few bathroom tiles installed underneath your toilet, which you’ll need to remove if you’re pulling up the rest. If you don’t temporarily remove the toilet, you’re risking potential water damage. If you’re hesitant about taking the toilet apart, hire a local plumber to tackle this part of the project for you.
Shut the water off at the main valve, then flush your toilet to empty it.
Detach the water supply underneath the tank.
Remove the bolts holding the tank to the bowl with a wrench.
Remove the tank.
Unscrew the toilet bowl from the floor bolts, then lift the bowl and put it to someplace safe.
Remove the Tile Grout
Use your hammer and chisel to remove the grout between tiles. Work from the corner of one tile and cut a straight line through the grout. Let the chisel penetrate deep enough to remove all the grout, but be gentle to avoid damaging the subfloor.
Once you’ve removed the grout from between the tiles, use a broom or a shop vacuum to suck up the excess grout. Grout removal is a time-consuming portion of the job, but you can feel good knowing you’re saving cash by doing it yourself.
Remove the First Few Tiles
Photo: Evgeniia / Adobe Stock
Next, pull out one and three bathroom floor tiles using a pry bar. (Yes, only a few to start—you’ll see why in a moment.)
In some cases, a pry bar may be all you need to pull the first tiles away from the floor. If your tile is stuck—the first few are always the most challenging—use a scoring tool to cut diagonally across one or two tiles. The new groove should make it easier to get a pry bar underneath it so you can pull it up with more force.
If you’re planning to replace the subfloor, you can break the first few tiles with a hammer to help loosen it up. Once one breaks, you’ll have more leverage to remove the other tiles.
Assess Your Subfloor
At this point, you need to make a big decision that could add hours to the job (or save you lots of time and money). What’s the state of your subfloor? Can you sand it down and reuse it for the new tile floor? Or will you need to replace it altogether?
Signs that it’s time to replace your bathroom subfloor include:
Squeaks when you walk over tile
Sagging or sinking sections
Tile cracks
Water damage
If you find any of these signs during your subfloor inspection, it’s better to be safe and install a new subfloor before you retile the bathroom.
Pry the Remaining Tiles Up
Photo: makasana photo / Adobe Stock
Once you’ve decided on the subfloor situation, remove the rest of the floor tiles. Technically speaking, you don’t have to carefully remove them if you’re reinstalling a new subfloor. If that’s the case, you can use a powered chipping hammer to speed through this part of the process.
That’s why we recommend the manual removal method until this point, though; if you use power tools to remove your tiles, there’s a greater chance you’ll damage the material beneath it and need to replace a previously good-conditioned subfloor.
Use a Saw to Remove Subfloor
Once you remove the tiles, you can remove the subfloor if needed, too. Most substrates sitting below bathroom tiles are made from plywood or cement boards, which you can cut with a handsaw or a reciprocating saw. Cut in sections, starting near the wall and working your way toward the middle. If you don’t want to use power tools, you can use a hammer or sledgehammer to break the substrate into pieces and then remove them manually.
Finally, if your tiles are more than 50 years old, they were likely installed into a mortar bed. While the process is more time-consuming, the most efficient way to remove the mortar bed is with a hammer and chisel.
Remove Tiles from Your Shower Walls
Photo: Dmitriy Melnikov / Adobe Stock
Now it’s time to move onto the shower tiling. Lay some additional drop cloths down if needed, especially on your subfloor if you aren’t replacing it.
Follow the same steps: Remove the grout first, and then pry away the tiles. Shower walls are thinner than subfloors, so you can use a utility knife to penetrate the first tile instead of a scoring tool. If you’re completing a full bathroom remodeling, it may seem simpler to tear out the shower walls with a sledge hammer and dispose of the materials.
Sand Your Subfloor
If your subfloor is in good enough shape that you aren’t replacing it, you can rent a floor sander to sand it down. Floor sanders cost about $40 to rent from a home improvement store.
Read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and sand the subfloor until it’s smooth and level.
Leveling your subfloor is important for laying new tiles down, as an uneven surface may prevent tiles from sitting correctly or staying sealed. Then, vacuum the area to remove leftover dust or debris.
Dispose of Your Bathroom Tiles
Photo: Олександр Луценко / Adobe Stock
The hard part’s over! There are several ways to get rid of tile, and you should determine a removal plan before starting the project so you’re not left with a pile of dusty tile.
You can rent a dumpster, donate usable tiles, or hire a local junk removal service. Junk removal costs between $100 to $600 for construction waste removal, depending on the amount of waste.
DIY Removing Bathroom Tile vs. Hiring a Pro
There’s no doubt about it: DIY bathroom tile removal is time-consuming and physically taxing. However, you can save money by tackling the job yourself. It costs an average of $2,000 to retile a bathroom, so tackling tile removal yourself could be worth it.
On the other hand, hiring a professional tile contractor near you will ensure the job is done quickly and efficiently. Plus, you may be able to strike a deal with your tile contractor for removal and reinstallation services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bathroom tile removal costs $2 to $7 per square foot, and many contractors have a minimum fee for small, half-sized bathrooms.
We recommend removing your toilet when retiling your bathroom. Opting to not remove your toilet could result in leaks underneath your toilet, and a non-uniform look in your bathroom. A plumber can help you disable and remove it if needed.
Bathroom tile removal is a big-effort, big-reward sort of project. Nothing in this task is too complicated, and you can always tackle the project manually if you don’t want to use power tools. However, the overall project requires significant time and sweat equity investment.
Ben is a writer, media strategist, and DIY enthusiast. A former teacher, he's written two books and published articles on major publications like Business Insider and Elite Daily. He lives in Denver.
Ben is a writer, media strategist, and DIY enthusiast. A former teacher, he's written two books and published articles on major publications like Business Insider and Elite Daily. He lives in Denver.
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