Removing Thinset Mortar From Concrete Floor

Today we learn how to take thinset off the floor with a nifty contraption i made.

Removing thinset mortar from concrete floor.

It is usually used to attach tile to cement. This was difficult and dusty but it was definitely a diy able task. I did tons of research online and read a bunch of forums and everything i read said to rent a chipping hammer with a scraper attachment so thats exactly what we did. However if the subfloor is plywood you ll probably have better luck with a hammer drill or demolition hammer with a scraper tool attached.

If the subfloor is concrete you can take off the thinset with a floor maintainer and a concrete coating removal tool such as a diamabrush disk. Which meant removing tile and thinset from the concrete foundation. Put on protective eye wear. But if you pull up old tiles it may be something you will have to contend with.

To prevent the tiles from cracking the floor also needs to be level. The mortar used to install ceramic tiles creates a fast and strong bond between the tiles and the installation surface. After the old tiles were removed there were still large areas of thinset stuck to the concrete that were obviously not level. It is usually used to attach tile to cement.

Yet when you need to remove it it can be a nightmare. The thinset on the floor. Thinset is used to install tile to concrete while adhesives and epoxies are used to install tile to wood subfloors. Mortar is a cement based paste that is used for binding building materials like bricks tiles and stones.

Removing mortar from concrete slab floor can be tricky. Thinset is an adhesive mortar made of cement fine sand and a water retaining agent. And it s great for creating durable surfaces. Once dry the mortar turns into a material that s as hard as concrete.

Removing this mortar after removing the tiles can be a labor intensive messy process.