Removing Tiles Safely and Wall Tiling
Removing old tiles can be quite tedious and risky. Tiles which are splintered or broken are very sharp, and can cause bad cuts or infections. To avoid any unwanted accidents, always use protective gear such as goggles and reliable gloves. If you are using a power drill to dislodge tiles, a dust mask is also essential. Have these things handy before tiling your floors and walls.
Taking away old tiles, although mind-numbing, is actually a straightforward process and once you get the hang of it, is quite simple to perform. To begin, get a big chisel, a pair of safety gloves, spectacles and a hammer, and remove the tiles and lever them from the wall or floor. Alternately, you can also use a heavy duty screwdriver equipped with a striking plate on the handle; it will produce the same results. Knock the heavy duty screwdriver behind the tile and haul it towards yourself to dislodge the tile from its existing place. If the tiles are stubborn, an SDS drill with roto stop is recommended. Remember to wear protective gear at all times. It is also pivotal to note that the wall intended for tiling is free from any existing wall paper or adhesive.
Weight is often a subject which is overlooked when using natural stone tiles on walls. For a solid wall that is skim plastered or plasterboard with a skim coat, the ideal weight should be 20kg per square meter with an approximate weight of 10mm thick stone. For plasterboards without any plaster skim or a sand cement render, the right weight limit is 32kg per square meter with an approximate thick stone weight of 20mm. Last but not least, correctly based Aquapanel should have a 50kg per square meter weight limit, and a 20mm thick stone.
To check whether you can tile over paint, first plaster a strip of carpet unto the paint and let stay for about 20 minutes. If there are paint stains on the carpet upon removing, then the paint has to be eliminated using mechanical methods. Chemical strippers are not advisable. Tiles can also be overlapped but it is best to discard the old ones before new ones are affixed.
Do not employ a PVA adhesive to prime the wall unless the adhesive instructions stipulate that it is okay to do so. Secure a horizontal batten on the wall and then place one in a vertical position; use a spirit level to make sure that both battens are on the exact level and that the vertical batten is placed so that the primary tile is situated at the center of the wall.
Next, spread a layer of adhesive via a notched spreader and envelop an area of roughly 1 meter. Be careful not to put any adhesive on each corner as this will result in tile breakage. To fix the tiles, use a twisting method, starting outwards and progressing upwards. Any excess adhesive or glue should be rid of and do not forget to incorporate the tile spacers.
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