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“What is the best method for removing thick thinset from tiles on a slab without creating a mess?”

Asked by Ella Wallace
8 months ago
Last Updated: April 24, 2024

Taking up tiles in our house, which is on a slab, is quite the task. Do you happen to know the best way to get rid of thinset without making a huge mess? It’s pretty thick in some spots!

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Núria das Neves

Wishing you all the best with the messy task.

Adolf Colin

Need to know the square footage? You have the option to rent a SDS rotary hammer with chisel, it gets the job done.

Gregorio Ramos

For that, you’ll need a wide blade chisel and some patience. If you want, you could also consider renting a hammer drill with the wide chisel bit to make the process faster. Just make sure to explain your project to the rental person.

Sara Hansen

I opted for using a grinder.

Molly Horton

Try using a pry bar to gently lift and remove them.

Sieuwke Dörenberg

Wide air chisel

Pedro Daniels

Check out the demo of an awesome hammer drill with a wider chisel bit. You can rent or buy one and set it to chisel mode.

Allie Bell

Sander

Slavko Heidt

‘s sander just isn’t going to cut it. You’ll need a grinder.

Slavko Heidt

If the area is small, you can use a cup grinder with a dust shroud connected to a shop vac for better results.

Slavko Heidt

For larger areas, you have the option to rent stand-up units at nearly any rental center. It’s much simpler than being on your hands and knees with a grinder

Arianna Renaud

No way, it’s a disaster period 🤷🏻‍♂️ if you take shortcuts, you’ll be sorry

Arianna Renaud

Oh, and by the way, if you decide to lay tile on the slab, any cracks present could eventually show up in your tile and lead to cracks over time.

Kübra Önür

How many tiles do we need? Are we tiling the entire house? You might want to consider renting a jackhammer, chisel, and a cart to make the job easier. If it’s just a bathroom, a hand chisel could work but using a small rotary hammer drill would definitely make things easier.

Arianna Renaud

They’re lying on a slab, using a jackhammer will result in significant damage 🤦🏻‍♂️

Kübra Önür

Lol I’ve done this on many slabs. Have you ever used a jack hammer? You have to jack hammer straight down with a point to penetrate the slab. And good luck if you didn’t score the concrete a few inches using a saw. A jack hammer with a flat chisel will remove thinset. You’re nuts, man. I don’t think you’ve ever used a jack hammer.

Arianna Renaud

Are you seriously recommending a jackhammer for a DIY project and calling me the idiot? 😂 Maybe consider using a hammer drill instead. I’m starting to think you might not be the brightest bulb in the box.

Kübra Önür

Can you believe suggesting a hammer drill? OP doesn’t need to drill a hole in concrete. Haha. These pictures are for OP. YES, YOU SHOULD RENT A JACK HAMMER. Here is the cart, and the next picture shows the JACK hammer you should use.

Kübra Önür

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یاسمن سهيلي راد

Use a rotary hammer with a chisel attachment. Make sure the fans are facing outward in the windows. Use plastic sheeting to section off the area from the rest of the house. ‘t forget to have a shop vac handy. You have the option to rinse it with water, but the benefits might not be significant

Abigail Gagnon

: BINGO! You got it right! Just remember to wear a face mask, N95 or better, to stay safe from inhaling dust

Sophia Lo

: Rotary Hammer or Ugly Stick and Air Compressor – it all comes down to whether you prefer working on your knees or not

Has the 100% correct answer

Violeta Tomašević

Do you think you could pass me the hammer drill?

Svitoslav Pavlikovskiy

Could you please check out this link for the product specifications of the Husqvarna PG280 11-inch high-speed grinder? Thanks!

Iina Puro

We used a demo hammer and a concrete dust vacuum we borrowed from Home Depot. I did the breaking, while my wife operated the vacuum at the chisel point. It wasn’t completely dust-free, but it was a huge improvement compared to doing it without any equipment (which I’ve done before). I’d estimate it was at least 90% dust-free.

Vildan Kulaksızoğlu

Explosive

Eleonora Bezkorovayniy

Removing tile will be messy no matter what, but a rotary hammer drill with a chisel can make the work easier although it’s still not a walk in the park.

Joan Duran

Consider renting a tile removal machine for the job.

Yasemin Eronat

Using a steel floor scraper and angle grinder can help you remove tough mortar from the floor.

Todd Henry

Just apply thinset to the remaining area until it’s all leveled out! 😂

Zaid Versteege

Using an air chisel simplifies the task.

Alejandro Delgado

I tried out a concrete grinder. It’s similar to a rotary sander, except it uses grinding blocks instead of sandpaper. It’s commonly used for smoothing out concrete surfaces. However, it can also remove thinset quite efficiently. Just keep in mind that it creates a significant amount of dust.

Lilly Hofstad

You know, found that using a wet dry vac for grinding is handy, or setting up a box fan with a furnace filter to trap the dust (which actually works quite well).

Lilly Hofstad

Can someone explain why people are posting without revealing their identity?

Fábia Castro

Ph Smith – Most likely… People don’t like being called out for not knowing how to do something. The internet is full of trolls who just leave rude comments

Benoît Louis

Chipper with power

Onni Marttila

There’s no way to get it done neatly!

Zachary Chow

One option is to lay flooring directly on top of it. This will raise the floor and eliminate the need for chiseling

Andrés Pastor

You might want to hire a jack hammer

Bastian Lambert

Consider hiring a contractor

Margot Henry

Best of luck!

Milton Dean

Boom goes the dynamite!

Barry Newman

Consider using a chipping gun for the task.

Benita Börner

Try using a rotary hammer with a wide spade bit. It’s simple and effective.

Friedemann Beckmann

Consider using a Hilti flexible chisel.

Violet Oliver

Purchase a new house.

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