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Is there a quick method of removing adhesive from old bathroom tile for reuse?

Is there a quick method of removing adhesive from old bathroom tile for reuse?


  #1  
Old 05-21-18, 02:32 AM
R
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Is there a quick method of removing adhesive from old bathroom tile for reuse?

Is there a way to remove thinset/mastic adhesive from the back of old bathroom tile that's quick and easy enough - and won't require a hazmat suit - to make it worthwhile to reuse them? Not going to go through laborious scraping hundreds of times.

Thanks.
 
  #2  
Old 05-21-18, 12:30 PM
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If its a few tiles, you can grind off thinset or soak and scrape mastic. No easy and quick way to do a lot of tile. A more important question is how you were able to remove the tile from the substrate without damaging them. Make sure that you remedy whatever caused the tile bond to break before trying to reinstall tile.
 
  #3  
Old 05-21-18, 01:19 PM
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If it's only a few tiles, put them in a bag in the freezer. Wait a few hours.
Take them out one by one, cold makes the mastic brittle enough to crack off.

I've also used a wire brush wheel on a bench mounted grinder,
wear safety glasses and heavy work gloves.
 
  #4  
Old 05-21-18, 01:30 PM
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I imagine muriatic acid would do a number on thinset...but would probably eat the tile as well. And not exactly the safest stuff to mess with either. Not quite hazmat suit but rubber gloves, goggles, and respirator for strong solutions.

Hundreds of tiles? No way would I even play with that. Unless you have a gaggle of kids for forced labor...buy new.
 
 

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