Help!: Lifting 2 popped tiles

[callejasmin]

My window seal has obviously been a victim of slight subsidence and as a result two of the tiles on the window seal have popped up slightly.this is unsightly and i need to try and lift them and re-lay them after trimming one of them slightly.

My question is how do i lift these 2 tiles without breaking them? i don't have any spares and appreciate that they might crack if i lift them.

I was thinking about removing the necessary grout with a grout rake/dremmel then seeing if i can lift up the two tiles.........just wandering if there is any other route i could go down.it is the flat part of my window seal and the two tiles are nearest the righthand side up right, the window seal is only one tile in width and these 2 are at the end of a run of 15 tiles of approx 150mm square each.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received.
cheers callejasmin

[Polished]

Hi callejasmin,

removing as much of the grout as possible is number one, trying to ease them up without cracking them is the harder job, you need to try and break the bond between the adhesive and tile. I've taken whole tiles off around window sills before but requires patience, also depends on what adhesive was used, you need to try and get a thin flat metal ( like a wide scraper between the adhesive bond and the tile and gently work it inwards to ease the tile off the adhesive, removing the grout should give you some lateral movement and if the tiles have bowed upwards the likelihood is that some of the bond with the adhesive is already broken, just take your time. I'd have somebody look at the subsidence, to see if it's just settling or something more such as water leak etc.

[callejasmin]

Thanks i will give that a go. That is pretty much what i had planned...knowing my luck though the tile is guaranteed to break!!

[Polished]

just take your time with it, patience a scraper and rubber mallet and gently tap away at it :-) don't go at it with a bolster chisel like i do when i get thick lol. I've hheard although never used ( depending on the adhesive) that if you heat the scraper with a hair dryer it helps break the adhesive bond. haven't tried it so can't be certain.

[365drills]

If they do break you could possibly put a wooden window sill in place as an alternative to tiles ?

Just a thought

[brian c]

or plastic.pvc

[cornish_crofter]

PVC windowsill won't cause future issues if the subsidence continues