Remove The Tile Backsplash Without Damaging The Drywall

In this article details a step by step how to instructional on how to remove an old tile backsplash without causing severe damage to the drywall.

Removing an old tile backsplash can seem like a daunting, maybe even infeasible task.  There are questions like, ‘how do I begin to remove this wall essentially tiled with stone? If I remove the tile will I damage the drywall? What if I get in there and can’t finish?’  Or maybe just, ‘what the heck am I doing?’ I know because it’s how I felt before taking a hammer to my old tile backsplash.  Well I’m here to tell you, YOU CAN DO IT!

It all begins with the right tools and gear. OK ladies (and fellas..I know your reading this), put on your best demo outfits because this can and will get messy.

Let’s get Dirty!

Required Materials

Saftey Glasses Safety gloves Dust mask Pry bar Hammer Wide blade scraper Grout cutter or saw Tile cutter Screwdriver Utility knife 5 in 1 tool Plastic sheet (i.e. Painters Drop or large garbage bag) Masking tape Sander and sandpaper (Optional)

Steps

1. Clear off the countertops.

   (Boy these counters sure are ugly!)

    
2. Remove the covers from the outlets. And cut the power to the area where you about to the outlets where you are about to remove the tiles.
3. Take down the microwave and remove the microwave brackets if it’s attached to the wall.  Mark on the wall with a marker where the holes are for reinstalling the bracket for the microwave.
4. Using the tape and plastic bag, cover the sink.  The last thing you’d want is to get some old ceramic tile caught in your garbage disposal.  To catch falling tile you can also line the countertop with plastic.
5. Put on your glasses and gloves.  (Is this really a step?!)
6. Score the 1st tile you plan on starting with using the grout cutter.  Run the gout cutter around the tile edges in the grout area.  Then make and X motion within the tile with the tile cutter.  This will further loosen the tile reducing the chances of you damaging the drywall behind it when you start removing the tile from the wall.       
7. Repeat step 6 one more time just to be on the safe side.
8. Take your hammer and tap the tile (gently) in the middle of the cuts.  Pieces of the tile should fall.
9. Then using the flat head screwdriver and hammer at the corner of the tile or where it’s chipped and chip away at the tile being careful not to dig into the drywall.
10. Then wedge the scrapper into the gap where the tile fell. With the removal of the one tile keep going under the surrounding tiles gently popping the tile from the wall by prying it from the wall using the scraper and hammer.
11. Once the tile is down take a 5 in 1 tool and scrapper to remove any excess grout.  This can also be done with the addition of a light sander using fine grade sandpaper.

  NEXT: Repairing the Drywall and Prepping for Tile Installation And How To Install a Kitchen Tile Backsplash The Easy Way And Marble Countertop Hack: How to Tile Over Laminate Countertops And $900 Kitchen Remodel

Products Used

                           

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