A regular hammer drill should not be used to break tiles because the holes are meant to rotate for drilling and driving, so in order to remove tiles you’ll need a rotary hammer drill and you are free to utilize the rotary hammer drill’s chiseling mode (no spinning) for chiseling.
These words may be daunting, but understanding them should not be a problem. Don’t confuse the rotary hammer, which has a “hammer only” setting, with a traditional hammer. It’s more like a conventional drill in which the pneumatic pounding happens while the drill bit rotates.
You will have to use different tools to remove the tile. Doing so will maximize the long-term benefit of the tile and will let you utilize it in another place. For remodeling or demolition work, the rotary hammer drill is one of the most popular equipment.
Is rotary hammer drill the best tool for tile removal?
It will depend on whether you want to delete a certain kind of tile. Tile that is constructed from softer materials should be used with a hammer drill. As a result, it is possible to pry up the tile from the flooring using the hammering motion.
A fast and effective drilling operation is made possible by using the correct attachment. And another advantage is that you don’t have to utilize your muscles in order to accomplish the same result, just at a slower pace with more pain.
It relieves your muscles of the work, and it helps to provide mechanical pressure on the tiles and floors. To some extent, you may remove almost any tile material from the floor, but ceramic tiles must be completely removed.
That said, we have our reviews of the best demolition hammer for tile removal.
How Do You Remove Ceramic Tile with a Hammer Drill?
You can remove ceramic tile with a hammer drill, but only if you are completely unconcerned about the ceramic tile. If not, use another instrument. Ceramic tile is strong, but it is also fragile and will shatter when attempting to get it from the floor.
There is one exception, however: if you use the proper tool attachment, this solution is correct.
So, what is the best tool for removing ceramic tile?
The kind of motion used in the removal of ceramic tile is most important when comparing rotary and demolition hammers. Fewer breakage and a smaller mess are the advantages of this model. Additionally, it will help to reduce the amount of dirt and debris that may be present during ceramic tile removal.
Use a Tile Chisel
For ceramic tile, the time-honored, but tedious approach is using an old-fashioned chisel. It has a blunt, hammer-like end and a pointed, shovel-like form on the other end.
It works, if very slowly. Tile chisels may become tiresome to use if you are using a lot of them, particularly for someone who has never used one before.
The degree of accuracy and speed that you may select while doing a task manually cannot be achieved with a mechanical device. There is of course no guarantee that this will be enough of an edge. In place of the chisel attachment, use a hammer drill’s chuck attachment.
Hammer Drill Chisel Bit
By adding the tile chisel attachment to the hammer drill, the way in which the tile is impacted has changed. Like a manual tile chisel, you operate the drill in the same way. The only difference is that the drill is performing all the work.
You’ll either need an SDS-plus or SDS-max chisel bit, depending on the system you’re using for your roto hammer. Place the chisel bit in the middle of a tile and hold it at a 45-degree angle so that the edge touches the next tile. Remember to have the drill in the hammering position before turning it on. Make the drill turn on and direct it such that it strikes and pulls up the tile underneath it.
When you operate on the horizontal plane, you will raise rows of tiles, one tile wide at a time, across the space from where you are standing. Next, go ahead and set the tile chisel attachment to the next row of tiles, and then return to the previous row and begin setting tiles. At times, you may wish to pause and clean away the dust and dirt that accumulates. But, on the other hand, the more you work, the more dirt and dust you’re going to create.
Removing the Mortar
After you remove the tile, you will discover the mortar that was used to hold it in place. Due to the unpopularity of mortar preservation, it is safe to use the same hammer drill with chisel attachment to break the mortar instead. Any design may be made, but it is preferable to do it in parts to ensure complete removal of the mortar.
In short, if you are meticulous, it is possible to remove ceramic tiles with a rotary hammer drill and chisel bit attachment. When the objective is to preserve each tile intact, that assumption is made. Don’t care if you break something? Then go ahead and break it.
This ends our Hammer Drill for Tile Removal Discussion.
We want you to be sure of what you plan to get, please don’t hesitate to ask for advice.
Love our Hammer Drill for Tile Removal guide?
You may be interested in our other related articles:
- How to use Hammer Drill for Concrete
- Demolition Hammer vs Rotary Hammer vs Jackhammer
- Pneumatic vs Electric Jackhammer
- Best Tool for Breaking up Concrete
Henry is a long time Trade Instructor at Dunwoody College of Technology. Henry has been teaching the trade of carpentry for over 15 years and is excited to share his knowledge with the next generation of builders. With his posts you will explore some general terms, tools, and techniques that are helpful for the beginning DIY Enthusiast!. He’ll also provide a list of all the best tips needed to start your building journey right away!
