How to Remove Tile Backsplash – It is so frustrating when people tell you they “love” your tile backsplash but then say something along the lines of “I could never have that in my house because I could never get it off the wall if I didn’t like it.” Hey Mrs. Noe, these types of situations cause a great amount of stress for so many homeowners. While planning a kitchen remodel I learned the difficult way just how challenging removing tile from a backsplash can be.
The fact is that there are different techniques that work for different types of tile back splashes and waterproofing systems. In this article I want to share with you all the things I did, things that worked and
Are you ready to breathe some new life into your kitchen space by replacing the backsplash? If so, learning how to remove tile backsplash in the kitchen is going to be on your to-do list. More important, you need to learn how to get the job done without ruining the drywall.
While it can be a challenging task, the pros at Mr. Handyman are here to guide you through the process. Before grabbing a hammer and putty knife, keep reading for the handy tips you need to know.
Table of Contents
TIPS FOR HOW TO REMOVE TILE BACKSPLASH IN THE KITCHEN
Removing the kitchen tile backsplash is all about technique, precision and patience. Without all three, you’ll spend hours repairing your poor drywall, so be prepared to take your time and follow the steps carefully. This blog focuses on removing tile that was installed with thinset or mastic.
Before you begin, gather the materials you will need:
- Hammer
- Putty knife
- Utility knife
- Electric sander or hand sander
- 120 grit Sandpaper
- Drywall sanding pad
- Drywall joint compound
Once you have tools and materials on hand, it’s time to begin the process:
- Clear the counter so you will have easy access to the backsplash.
- Remove outlet covers and cut the electricity to the area where you will be removing the tiles.
- Carefully use the hammer and putty knife to chisel off the tiles without gouging the drywall.
- Once you have removed the tiles, you will see there is an adhesive beneath that is either rock-hard or semi-soft. The rock-hard adhesive will be thinset, a cement based product.
- To remove thinset, use a stiff putty knife and some elbow grease to scrape it from the wall.
- For semi-soft adhesive (mastic), use 120-grit sandpaper to remove it from the wall.
- Fill drywall gouges with drywall joint compound and sand it smooth. Allow to fully dry.
- Finish sanding the entire wall with 120 grit sand paper on drywall-sanding pad.
Are you installing a new backsplash over the same area? One trick our experts recommend is to use a trowel with wider teeth to lay down a thicker layer of thinset over the old surface. This extra adhesive will hide the roughness from the old adhesive and provide a good base for the new tile. Mastic doesn’t work as well with this application, so we recommend using thinset.
Before You Begin: Should You DIY This?
Removing your own backsplash is something that should only be done if the tiling was properly installed, using thinset or mastic. If you notice that the tiling is set on drywall, done via liquid nails, or otherwise poorly done, do not try this on your own. This will end up harming your drywall.
If you are okay with removing your backsplash and potentially nicking your drywall on occasion, keep reading. (Don’t worry, drywall is easy to repair.)
Starting Your Tile Removal: Beginning (And Continuing) Your Prying
Now that we’ve discussed the major caveat, let’s talk about the prying issue. In order to pry your tile off, you will need a hammer and chisel, at the very least. Here’s how to start and work on your tile removal:
- Look for a tile that looks a little loose. You want a tile that has a crack in and around the grout. If the tile is already loose, all the better!
- Spread a plastic sheet below the backsplash. This will act as a barrier and counter protectant.
- Take a chisel and lightly hammer into the grout. Break apart the grout and slowly edge your chisel (or a sharp 6-in-1 tool) underneath the tile. Try to angle your chisel as close to parallel to the wall as possible.
- Keep breaking apart the grout, pulling the tile out. This is a good start, and once you get that first tile off, work the chisel into the edges of the removed tile and keep removing the tile. Eventually, you’ll be able to remove all of them.
- Once all the tiles are removed, remove the grout and thinset. This is a procedure all its own, but thankfully, it’s a lot less tedious than the tile pulling.
- Finish leveling everything with a thin layer of spackle. Spread the spackle evenly using a putty knife. Once the spackle has been applied, you will have to wait until it’s dry to finish up your installation.
Removing Grout And Thinset From Your Backsplash
Once you start prying off the tiles, you’re going to notice that thinset (or a gummy mastic) is going to be stuck to the wall. This is going to have to be removed if you want to place new tiles over your old area. Thankfully, this is fairly easy to do. In order to remove grout and thinset from the backsplash, just a 6-in-1 painter’s tool to scrape the majority of it off.
Once most of the gunk is off, you will need to take a rough grit sander and sand down the rest. This works best with thinset since the concrete is able to crumble fairly quickly. With a mastic, you will need to scrape off as much as possible without dangering your drywall. Then, continue with the sanding.
Help! I Got A Hole In My Drywall!
One of the most common errors and issues people have when they decide to get rid of tile on their own is damaging the drywall. It’s scarily easy to do, and drywall is remarkably fragile considering that it makes a large portion of your home. Should this happen to you, don’t sweat it. Here’s how you can fix most minor cuts, tears, and holes:
- Continue cleaning and clearing up the area surrounding the hole or gash. You want to make sure that the rest of the grout and gunk is removed. Once everything is cleared up, brush the area down with a light brush. If you have multiple holes that have been poked in, it’s better to finish pulling the tiles off the wall before you continue unless you have an extreme problem (like a “punched a hole in a wall) look.
- Then, grab some thin spackle. Apply the spackle over the holes that are as big as 1 inch long and 1/4 inch thick. This should be able to cover up most of the cuts caused by an errant chisel.
- Smooth over the spackle. This is why you need to do this at the end of your clearing session. Fixing holes is the last step to actually clearing the backsplash and beginning the prep work for your next set of backsplash tiles.
- Let the spackle dry, taking your time to make sure that it’s completely dry before you do any other work on the area. If you aren’t sure how long it’ll take to dry, you should read the package.
What Should You Do If You Poked A Larger Hole In Your Drywall?
Let’s say that you accidentally tried to remove tiles that were placed directly on the wall. You ended up pulling and—oh no! The wall came up with the tile! Drywall repair costs a pretty penny but you can DIY it. Depending on how big the hole is, you may need to patch things up with either thick spackle or a mixture of thick spackle aided by a support.
If the hole is less than the size of your hand, then you should be able to use thick spackle alone. If your hole is larger than four inches in diameter, then you will need to put a support over the hole. After that, you will have to apply a coat of thick spackle to hold the support in place and patch things up.
How Much Does Professional Backsplash Removal Cost?
Sometimes, removing your own tiling is not a good idea. This is particularly true if you looked at the tile, realize it’s been glued on, throw your hands up in the air and say, “NOPE!” Should this be the case, you will need to call a professional contractor to remove it for you. What’s interesting here is that the removal is a two-part issue.
The first thing you will need to pay for is the backsplash’s removal, which typically ranges from $3 to $6 per foot. Sometimes, this can be even more expensive—particularly if the backsplash was put directly on the drywall. In extreme cases, some companies might put a surcharge of $1 per foot if they notice seriously problematic issues with the install.
After your backsplash has been removed, the company will also typically charge a disposal fee. Disposal fees are typically between $100 to $150 for a typical backsplash removal. In most cases, the charge is mandatory as you are not always allowed to dispose of it yourself.
Conclusion
Backsplashes add texture and color to kitchen counters and backsplashes. They give a homey, welcoming touch to your cooking area, making it fun and comfortable to cook. But should you ever decide to redo the design of your kitchen, you might consider replacing your current tile backsplash with a different style.