How to remove old tile cement from concrete?

[Smithrj]

Hi, I recently lifted some old ceramic tiles from my front landing using the Ozito Rotary Hammer Drill with the chisel attachment, which worked a treat, but I'm now left with a concrete slab covered in old (original 50 y.o.) tile cement / adhesive. I'm assuming the same tool may be useful to remove it with a wider chisel attachment, but if there's a better way to remove the old adhesive I'd appreciate any suggestions.

Many thanks.

Rod.

[JacobZ]

Hi @Smithrj,

Thank you for your question about removing old tile adhesive.

A chisel attachment for a rotary hammer drill such as this Kango SDS Plus Angled Tiling Chisel would be effective but from experience, puts a lot of unnecessary strain on the body.

Depending on how well the tile adhesive is bonded, a DTA 150mm Heavy Duty Floor Scraper would likely be a better option. As it has a long handle, you would not need to get down on your hands and knees for extended periods of time. 

The combination of this scraper and the chisel bit should get the vast majority of the tile cement off. But if you are still struggling, and the area warrants it, you could look at hiring a Floor Stripper. Just make sure to call ahead to enquire as to the availability at your local Bunnings.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[Smithrj]

Hi Jacob,

Thanks for your reply & advice. I had a look at the heavy duty floor scraper, but the blade looks a bit thin and the stuff I need to rermove strongly resembles ccement, so not sure if it would hold up. I ended up getting an inexpensive set of chisels so I'll try them with the rotary hammer drill & see how they go - it's only about 2 square metres so shouldn't be on my knees for too long!

Regards,

Rod.

[FillH]

Hi Rod. Looking at your pics, I have a similar challenge ahead of me but my tile glue is ~32years old & a rubberized glue (supposedly waterproof) & quite thick in places. Also, the concrete is very soft so a layer/chunk can easily pop out when using the hammer drill/jack hammer. I know I will be reapplying some serious waterproofing to combat rising dampness from days of heavy rain plus a floor leveler plus a waterproof membrane so if the concrete does end up heavily 'cratered' like the surface of the moon then probably no big deal. But....how dd you go with your glue stripping? Any other hints with using the jack-hammer with widish chisel & similar hand tools? Our area is also small, eg. 2.5m2'ish. Appreciate any tips.

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @FillH. It's terrific to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about removing glue.
 

Let me tag @Smithrj so they are alerted to your question.

Just to start, I wanted to point out that if this glue was used for vinyl tiles or carpet, there is a chance that asbestos was used in its manufacture. Make sure to have it tested if you are unsure. 

If it's a rubberised glue, you might have better luck trying to cut it off with a sharpened floor scraper rather than a jackhammer or rotary impact drill with a chisel bit. They work quite well on cementitious adhesives, but will struggle to remove rubberised ones.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell
 

[Smithrj]

Hi @FillH,

I ended up buying the Ozito Rotary Hammer Drill with a 40mm chisel from the Craftright 3 Piece Chisel Bit Set. I angled the chisel at around 30 degrees or so and that removed the old adhesive fairly easily without damaging the underlying cement slab too much (just some minor scoring).  I also encountered some hardened glue, possibly old Liquid Nails or similar, but as it had gone quite hard over the years it came off reasonably easily with the chisel. Since the chisel was only 40mm (I could have used a bigger one) it took maybe a couple of hours all up, but overall an inexpensive and successful outcome. The slab was levelled enough that the tiler just threw down the new adhesive without the need to smooth any further. Good luck with your project.

Regards,

Rod.