How to cut & remove *** within a tiled wall
brasov
Here's the *** extensive definition: cumbersome, eye sore, porcelain soap- toothbrush holders above the sink, obstinately embedded in your tile wall. Anybody here who removed successfully those guys, without damaging the tile around? What tools would work for this? Help!
catwoman708
Yuch! We have those too, they're in an older home, white, and pretty useless, right? We had a soap holder in the tub, that fell off, leaving some of whatever it was glued/mortared on with. I scraped it off with a razor blade. First see if you can find exact replacement tiles, in case some get broken or cracked. If not, I'd suggest living with them until you can remodel the bath or have it re-tiled. I asked the husband how to remove the ones over our sink (he's very handy with remodeling - just not at our house). He said you can try scraping/prying them off, but you'd probably break the tiles. You can also try cutting the individual tiles out and then replacing those tiles, but you run the risk of breaking adjacent tiles. (I'll have to get back to you on what specific tools are used to cut out individual tiles) It would be tedious but you might try scraping around the edges with a razor blade to see how the thing is attached. When you've gone as far as you can with the razor blade and have created a space around the edges, insert a thin, sharp chisel, gently tapping the end of the chisel with a hammer, scraping more of the adhesive/mortar a little at a time. I'd avoid trying to pry it off. Before you start, make sure you can live with it or have it fixed if you accidentally break some tiles.
catwoman708
P.S. After looking through my husbands power tools, a hand held rotary saw (blade is round, about 3" across) looks like the tool for the job if you want to cut out the offending tiles. I am not an expert, so you might want to check with someone at your local home store in the tile dept.I would think you need to wear safety goggles and "score" the grout around the tile first, then with the saw cut only deep enough to get the tile out. I'd be prepared to replace extra tiles in case any adjacent tiles get screwed up.
brasov
Finally, with this post open I can thank you for all your help, catwoman.I'm going to try it after the holidays; I can't wait to start this bath project! Thanks again!
TXStarfall
I actually successfully removed a few of those in a bathroom. My first "home project" I took pix and showed them to Bob Vila, lol. I was so proud of that bathroom. There's a little tool you buy, called a grout saw. It has a strange blade, almost on a toothbrush-y type handle, it's not sharp, but it does saw away the grout; all of it. And only the grout you want gone. With that 1/8 of an inch break around the ugly fixtures, you can slide a butter knife (slightly bent) in to pop off the fixture. They pop right off, helps if you actually catch it. I took out whole rows of tiles in patterns to add color to the bath. It's now been redone all over again, but I still have my Bob Vila autographed tool belt
brasov
Thanks TXStarfall ! it looks like very possible, as you described it. And, I hope I'll catch/save some of them; you never know when they'll be back, in vogue.
#EANF#
#EANF#