Help us liberate original mosaic entry tile from under ugly 80’s tile!

Hey there! We have original mosaic tile in our entryway, covered by heinous 80’s-era 12×12 ceramic tile. We are hoping to liberate it. We were going to score the grout of the newer tile and try to use wide tile chisel to wedge between the new tile’s mortar and the old mosaic.

Anyone have any advice? I’m concerned that we’ll inadvertently pull up pieces of the mosaic.

We pretty handy and have almost all the power tools so any better suggestions are welcome.

greenworks

in General Discussion 5 years and 1 month ago

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restorationcontractor | 5 years ago

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Can you post a photo?

Guest User | 5 years and 1 month ago

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Can someone please tell me the price difference between laying porcelain tiles and ceramic tiles. Also is there a big difference in the prep work for each?

Thank you in advance

——————-
abc

JohnHancock | 5 years and 1 month ago

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Actually a solution of muriatic acid and water is used to clean the geometric tiles, 1 to 10 i believe but don’t hold me to that.
The Geometric tiles are solid and the color doesn’t lie on top only but goes all the way down. They’re delicate in a way but forgiving in others.

stevecym | 5 years and 1 month ago

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i think if i were to try this, i would see if i could crack the large newer tiles before going to work on them. hit them with a hammer or take a center punch and put it in the center of a square and hit it. this way, the pieces of the new tile might break away from teh mortar underneath.

also, if you are left with mortar on the old tile and don’t want to polish it off. you might try some muriatic acid. acids are our go to stuff for a lot of things. just check to be sure it does not work on the old tiles (again, i do not know) and it will work on the old joints – though those tiles are not fitted with wide joints, me thinks. so not a lot of grout for it to work. also, if you try acid, be very aware that the gas is very bad to breath in. even out doors i have to step away.

JohnHancock | 5 years and 1 month ago

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The mortar for the original tiles is usually very loose and dry. Likely tiles willpop out or loosen up. No worries they can be put back.
The joints are very tight though so plan it carefully if many come out and take pics of the pattern

greenworks | 5 years and 1 month ago

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Thanks so much you two!

Steve much appreciated- we have both angle grinder and multi tool so will give your suggestions a shot. Fully realizing this is all an experimental process we’re game to try several means of attacking it and adjusting accordingly.

stevecym | 5 years and 1 month ago

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i have been thinking about this. some of the old tiles will come out easy anyway in which case you can put them back in as JH suggest above. here is something else, perhaps get something like a Fein Multitool with the putty knife like blade attachment and beginning someplace where you can lift the newer tiles, put the plate under either the new tiles or under the mortar holding them down and i bet this will separate the new tiles from the rest. you may very well leave mortar and/or scratch your old tiles but a tile guy can run a polishing set (or you can- they are made for angle grinders) over them to clean them up.

someone out there has done this. as a contractor who has tried a lot of different things but has not done everything (i have removed tile but not while trying to salvage what is beneath) what i said above is something i would consider trying but i cannot guarantee if it will work. i might think a little more about this – i did wonder w hat would happen if you laid dry ice on the new tile, if it would crack it or damage the mortar bond but i discounted that idea. someone out there knows. finding that person is the answer.

JohnHancock | 5 years and 1 month ago

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You can always put the tile that come out back in. Hopefully not breaking too many. They can be glued if need be. I restored my tiles last year