Tile and concrete removal

[matt_vo]

Hi all,
I just bought a home and would need some advice on how to remove and replace some flooring.
As it is now, the hallway and kitchen floors are old ugly tiles on a layer of concrete, about 300 square feet in total. I would like to remove that to get to the wood subfloor, install plywood and then some hardwood flooring.
What would be the best way to remove the tile and concrete? I'm guessing there's about a 1 inch thickness of concrete.
Jackhammer? Air chisel? Cut the concrete in sections first?

Thanks!
Matt

 

[nealtw]

All of the above. A small jack hammer with a flat chisel work well.

 

[Daddytron]

In my unprofessional opinion, and experience, once you get one tile out, you can work at it with a spade shovel, does a decent job, doesn't muck-up the sub-floor too bad and you can scoop it right into a wheel barrow as you go.

 

[matt_vo]

Thanks for the replies.
Daddytron, I guess if the concrete is really old and crumbling will I be able to scoop it off the floor. Don't think it'll work with 1 inch thick concrete.
So when I've removed most of the concrete, there'll probably be some unevenness with left over concrete. Would I be able to sand the remaining smooth?

Matt

 

[nealtw]

You will be able to tap it with a hammer and sweep it up or just knock it off with a scraper.

 

[asbestos]

Keep the dust down. you don't want to be breathing a bunch of that. you'll be like one of them guys at the casino with an O2 setup.
Believe me you will be breathing heavy too, you got some work. It may just come up super easy though, you never know.

 

[matt_vo]

Right, so preferably no sanding. Makes sense.
Thanks guys. I'll let you know how it went, in a couple of months.

 

[Daddytron]

Are we sure it's concrete, and not thinset or another type of mortar?

 

[matt_vo]

Here's an update.
I just finished removing the fu**ing floor. It was pretty easy but tough work. We were three; one guy to hammer the floor to brake and crack the cement/tiles, another (me) with two pry bar to lift the flooring, and yet another to scoop everything and put into canvas bags. What helped in lifting and breaking the thing was a metal mesh encased in the cement.
It was approximately an inch thick, up to 1.5" at some deeper places.
So there you have it.

Thanks for all your replies.
Will post some pictures of the completed project soon.