Tile removal in the center of a floor? - TilersForums.com

[tilenoob]

Does anyone have a DIY link or suggestions for removing just a single central tile from a kitchen floor? Here's my situation:

- Prior homeowner either built the countertop around the dishwasher, or the floor after it was installed. Either way I cannot remove it as-is, nor fit the new one in (if I chose to just destroy the existing one, for example). So, I want to remove the 12x12 tiles directly in front of the dishwasher, but preferably intact as I have no spares.

Every youtube video I've seen always starts from the edge, or has already pulled up some starter tiles, and so I'm trying to figure out how to get this tile, which is surrounded on all four sides (the side closest to the dishwasher only has a 2-3 inch piece that goes under the front of the dishwasher; I could break that but given the location it doesn't help me work backwards towards the piece I really need to remove).

I have removed the grout with a grout knife and have tried getting underneath it with both a chisel and a drywall hammer, but I've already made one minor chip in an adjacent tile. (These are not super expensive tiles, probably Home Depot if I had to guess). Should I even bother? Should I just demo the whole room (approx. 175 square feet) and start fresh?

Any ideas would be appreciated!

 

[eddcottee]

If they've been fitted properly, you won't likely get it up without breaking it. Id give it a clout and if it pops off clean and you can grind the adhesive off the back of it. Why do you need to break them out though. Can you not just lift the machine over them? Or remove and refit the countertop?

 

[tilenoob]

If they've been fitted properly, you won't likely get it up without breaking it. Id give it a clout and if it pops off clean and you can grind the adhesive off the back of it. Why do you need to break them out though. Can you not just lift the machine over them? Or remove and refit the countertop?

I cannot - the enclosure for the dishwasher is too small - the ground under the dishwasher is untiled and i need that extra half-inch to get the feet out. It's really a cost-benefit issue - removing and/or replacing the tile is probably less expensive than the entire countertop (which we'd like to replace but not for several thousand dollars right now).

 

[Ben-gee]

In a similar situation I used a wrecking bar to break the feet off, then I could wriggle the machine out.

 

[tilenoob]

I could get sawsall and get the feet off but I don't think I could get the new one in.

 

[Ben-gee]

Once old one out, take feet off the new one too and fit it on shims. This will be easier with an inflatable air wedge.

 

[Slippery]

To get the single tile out drill a series of holes in it and then gently break away from the middle outwards.
Could you not break the tile so it's not visible past the machine then cut the new one leaving the remnants in position?