condoowner

Hi all!

I want to replace the existing tiles in my kitchen. The area is not very big, but I am not comfortable to try to remove the existing tiles as they are installed on a mortar bed which I was told could come apart with the tiles or completely break loose... Not good and I want to avoid this.

A suggestion I was given was to re-tile on top of the existing tiles. Of course, this would require to replace (or relocate) the baseboards (but you will see on the pics, I don't have much of them). Also, I would only re-tile where its currently possible to walk (i.e. not underneath the cabinets). The reason being that the pantry is a single unit from top-bottom and if I raise it, I will have to raise all cabinets, even the ones on the wall so they stay even... If its much much better to re-tile everywhere, I will do, but otherwise I'd prefer re-tiling only around the cabinets.

Other thing to consider, the current tiles are of the "natural" type with very uneven surface and contours, and the installation job was poor, most of them are not even (see one of the pics, there is a 1/8" difference on this one)....

Finally, I will need a transition piece between the laminated floor and the new tiles since the floor will be higher...

Please look at the pics, and tell me how you'd proceed and what you think!!

Thanks!!!!

nealtw

Do you have room to lift the dishwasher up to 1/2"?

condoowner

Should be able, I had to extend the jack screws all the way to be able to fasten it to the countertop

nealtw

I havn't done it but I think you have grind the surface of the old tile.

condoowner

The more I think about it, he more I am leaning toward stripping down the existing tiles and re-tiling on the existing mortar floating bed..

If I re-tile over the exiting ones, I will have to grind the tiles so the thinset sticks well, and if I start fresh I will not have to do awful cutting around the cabinets and everything else. Plus, the floor will be much higher which I am not sure I am OK with..

Thats assuming removing the tiles I dont destroy it too much.

Anybody has faced this situation before?

nealtw

You may need to remove cupboards.

condoowner

For sure.... I will remove the cupboards, even the ones on the wall since the lower ones will be higher.

Unless I am wrong, isnt it only unscrewing the cupboards, and screwing them lets say 1/2" higher?? Nothing major to worry about?

My biggest concern is really removing the existing tiles because of that mortar bed.. I was told there could be a wire mesh which the bed was poured thru... if it breaks loose I will have a hard time repairing this and it will never be as strong.

nealtw

I think the normal is to remove the bed also, you could try removing tile under stove to see how easy it comes up. You would still have fun trying to get it fairly flat.
Again, I am not a tile guy.

condoowner

Just to be sure we're talking about the same things here... By mortar bed I am referring to the 1.5in portland concrete slab they poured on top of the actual floor all over the house, even under the laminated wood floor...

Why would I need to remove it if I succeed to remove the tiles without damaging it??

nealtw

So that is not a morter bed, it is a concrete floor. Either regular concrete or light weight concrete. I would think the tile will come off that but with no experince with it, I am just guessing. Sorry. I would pull the stove and pop a tile and see whats going to happen. Do you have heat in the floor, like embedded pipes for hot water?