How to Remove Floor Tiles Without Breaking Them [Apr. 2023]

Even installing the most beautiful floor tiles does not promise that you won’t be removing those tiles in the future. Such is the nature of floor tiles. In fact, the reason why floors are designed as tiles is because they’re meant to be removed. But removing floor tiles isn’t at all a no-brainer; it requires well-thought methods to keep them from breaking. Fortunately, we’ve got our ultimate solution for that!

Floor tiles, whether wood, laminate, cement, etc. are most vulnerable when taken out. Unless you are replacing them for good and finding that they’re not of further use, you would want to be careful when doing it. 

Read this article and discover 3 easy and fast steps to doing it. Our steps on how to remove floor tiles without breaking them are guaranteed effective. Through rounds of intensive research, actual simulations, and serious consolidation with experts, we came up with these steps and simplified them further to three to cater to busy homeowners. 

Let’s get to it tile by tile!

Remove Floor Tiles Without Breaking Them

How Do I Remove Floor Tiles Without Breaking Them?

You can remove floor tiles without breaking them by using the assistance of some tools and exercising a good control of the hand. Usually, it begins with sawing the grout, crack-proofing the tiles, and removing each tile firmly with the help of a putty knife and a suction cup. 

But let’s not spoil you with that. 

Let’s begin by identifying top three tools:

  1. Grout Remover. Commonly known as grout saw, this tool functions to slice through the grout between floor tiles without causing cracks and breakages. 

>>Click the link here to see our favorite grout saw/grout remover.

How to Remove Floor Tiles Without Breaking Them
  1. Putty Knife. The putty knife serves to help push the first tile out. Like the two tools previously mentioned, the putty knife essentially helps remove floor tiles without breaking them. 

>>Click the link here to see our favorite putty knife product. 

How to Remove Floor Tiles Without Breaking Them
  1. Masking Tape. The masking tape will be plastered on the very center of the tile while it’s being worked. The masking tape is proven to be an effective means for taking up the pressure of the tile so further damage is avoided. 

>>Click the link here to see our favorite masking tape product. 

How to Remove Floor Tiles Without Breaking Them

You sure are ready with your tools! It’s time for the quick steps on how to remove floor tiles without breaking them…

3 Quick Steps on How to Remove Floor Tiles Without Breaking Them

Here are the 3 quick steps on how to remove floor tiles without breaking them:

Step # 1. Saw the grout. 

  • Bring out the grout remover. 
  • Decide which grout between two tiles to begin working on. 
  • Lay the edge of the grout remover into the first corner of the grout. 
  • Hold the remover/saw at a 90-degree angle. 
  • Plant the edge firmly until it bites and cuts into the grout. 
  • Begin sawing. 

Step #2. Crack-proof the tiles. 

  • Before finally removing the floor tiles, crack-proof them by individually placing two strips (crossed) of masking tape on the very center of the tiles. 
  • If you’re working on a thinner floor tile, you can overlay 4 strips (1 inch length) of masking tape together. 

Step #3. Remove each tile firmly with the help of a putty knife and a suction cup 

  • The best means to remove floor tiles without breaking them is to pull the tiles out by suction. 
  • Before you suction the tiles out, slide in the edge of the putty knife along the space within the grout. 
  • Once placed, slowly nudge the handle of the putty knife with a hammer to begin the tile removal process. Do it just enough for the edge of the putty knife to bite into the grout and slide under the tile. 
  • Nudge the putty knife one more time until it has fully dug into the tile. 
  • Lay a suction cup into the center of the tile marked with masking tape. 
  • With all things in place and the cup firmly suctioned in, slowly pull the cup to detach the tile. Do this very slowly to keep the tile from breaking. 

And, that’s about it. Read on to hear our conclusion

You may also like to read How to Remove Candle Wax from Wooden Floor

Conclusion

Floor tiles are highly susceptible to cracks and breaks. As it turns out, such an effort requires particular materials and tools like (1) masking tape, (2) putty knife, and (3) grout remover/saw. Additional tool involves a suction cup. 


But even these tools can’t help protect the tiles if one doesn’t have the right control and strategies. In short, to remove floor tiles without breaking them, one has to capture the perfect timing. 

Meanwhile, the 3 fast and easy steps on how to do it include: sawing the grout, crack-proofing the tiles, and removing each tile firmly with the help of a putty knife and a suction cup. 

Do you think you’re ready to do it? If not, you can always call an expert to do it anyway. 

Whatever your decision, it’s important that you think it through properly.