How To Remove Backsplash Tile Without Damaging Drywall

How to Remove Tile Backsplash Without Damaging Drywall

When it's time to remove a tile countertop and replace it, you may hope that the demolition of the backsplash leaves the wall intact so you can paint or otherwise decorate the space. Unfortunately, if the tile was installed directly on drywall, that promise is probably unrealistic.

Ceramic tiles normally don't come off easily.

The agglutinative bonding the tile volition, at a minimum, pull the paper off the drywall, and information technology may pull out some of the gypsum cadre in places. You lot tin endeavor methods to minimize the damage only, in the terminate, yous're probably going to accept to do some drywall repair.

Tip

Pulling the paper covering off the drywall isn't a catastrophe. You tin repair the damage by skim-coating with drywall joint compound. The joint compound makes a satisfactory repair even if some of the gypsum core has come out. You need to supercede drywall that has holes in it, however. If you plan to install new tile, y'all should glue it to cement board -- not drywall. The onetime drywall doesn't have to exist in practiced status; y'all but install the cement lath over it.

Alert

Wear goggles when removing grout and tiles, and when sanding glue residuum. Pocket-size particles can easily become into your optics.

Clean the grout out from between the tiles, using a rotary tool and a grout removal accessory. Once the grout is gone, information technology volition be easier to pry private tiles.
Insert a stiff putty knife in the gap between a pair of tiles, wedge it under one of the tiles and pry, exerting calorie-free to moderate pressure. If the tile doesn't come off, don't force it. You may be able to weaken the gum bond with rut.
Set a pilus dryer to high, turn it on and hold it in forepart of the tile for about a infinitesimal. Endeavor prying the tile. If information technology doesn't come, apply more estrus and try prying it again. If it doesn't come on the second or third try, it'due south time to try a dissimilar strategy.
Put on protective gloves and identify a piece of dry out ice in a towel. Fold the towel around the dry ice and twist the ends to requite you a handle. Hold the ice against the tile for a minute or two, so attempt prying. The extreme common cold may make the glue brittle and cause the tile to come off easily.
Go alee and use equally much force equally necessary to remove the tile if heat or cold don't loosen the gum.
Sand the glue remainder off the wall using an orbital sander and eighty-dust sandpaper. This isn't the fastest fashion to remove the residue, but y'all'll do less impairment to the drywall than yous would if yous removed the glue with a grinder or chisel. Clothing a respirator and goggles while sanding.

The Drip Cap

When it's time to remove a tile countertop and replace it, yous may promise that the demolition of the backsplash leaves the wall intact so you lot tin pigment or otherwise decorate the infinite.
Insert a potent putty knife in the gap between a pair of tiles, wedge information technology under i of the tiles and pry, exerting light to moderate force per unit area.
If information technology doesn't come, utilise more heat and try prying it again.
The extreme cold may make the glue brittle and cause the tile to come off easily.
This isn't the fastest way to remove the residue, but you'll practice less damage to the drywall than you would if yous removed the gum with a grinder or chisel.