Limestone Tile Removal - Tile Advice

[robbieraven]

Hi all, just finished a really nice Limestone floor with electric underfloor heating. I have small snag, although it's completely natural stone the lady is not happy with one tile in the middle that has a lot more shall we say: "Features" in it than some of the others, she'd like it replaced. What the best way to get it up. I did level over the heating mat to about 4-5mm before tiling but I'm feeling very nervous about trying to remove it without damaging the infamous "wire" It doesn't really bother me but I'd like customer to be happy so if I can replace it I'd like to, but at the risk of destroying the heating wire I'm not so sure.

Thanks

 

[SJPurdy]

I've replaced a few in the past over wires (even bare wires-no SLC) and it is not as bad as you imagine it the first time. As with taking out any tile remove grout first (great care not to go to deep at this stage otherwise wires will be damaged) then I'd just take off a corner with a small chisel and nible back from this until I could carefully chisel under the edge of the tile (obviously not downwards). When tile removed carefully remove the old addy. (if any remaining) from the slc surface. Just be careful, think and don't rush it.

I'm just reminded of one bathroom I went to wall tile. The floor was just being re-laid as the fitter had cut through the wires while cleaning out the excess addy. from the joints using a Stanley knife!!!

 

[p4ulo]

When I had to remove a slate tile recently, I drilled a diagonal row of holes through the front of it using a massive hole-saw, go really slow and you feel when it breaks through......With this row of holes joined together, the tile was really weak and easily levered / chiselled carefully out.
Good luck.

 

[On one]

I had the very same scenario with a Limestone floor over wet UFH in an Orangery a few years ago.
Customer didn't like the position of some of the darker tiles and asked if I could remove them and refit them under the sofa........I should coco!.... How was I to know where the bloody sofa was going to go in an 80m2 Orangery!
As for the tile removal if you really,really,really want to do it....as above, core drill the tile from the centre of the tile towards the edges,pop the cores up and away you go......should only take you 2 hours per tile........if you don't clip another or strike water!

 

[Flintstone]

I have had to do something similar myself, just to slow with it, I think the fact it was levelled first might be a help

 

[Old Mod]

Only just seen this and it's probably already done and dusted!
Anyway, had a similar problem in as much I had to expose an UFH cable.
I was asked to repair after someone damaged UFH.
I tackled it by running a grinder through the stone almost full depth and then with a small chisel chopped out the final bit.
Made more difficult by the fact that the UFH was on top of the Ditra and I had no idea where the cable was!
But taking it slowly it was more than possible.