Deck Ceramic Tiles: How to Lift by Heat

Put on safety glasses to protect your eyes from shards of grout or tile. Wear kneepads since removing ceramic tile is painstaking and you will be on the floor for some time.

Loosen any caulking between the tiles with a utility knife. Cut along each edge of the connected tiles and stick the point of the knife under an edge to pry up the caulk and pull it off.

Use a heat gun to soften hard caulks. Aim the gun at least an inch away from the tile to prevent scorching. Apply the heat until the caulk just begins to soften, moving the gun back and forth in an S motion. Do a small area at a time.

Use a chisel to crack off any grout. The idea is to expose the edges of each tile to facilitate removal. Knock the back of the chisel with a hammer to give it enough force to break the grout and then scrape it out of the cracks.

Heat the top surface of each tile individually, for approximately 15 seconds. Check to see if it is loose. Heat it another five to 10 seconds if it did not loosen. Use the heat gun at a 45-degree angle and move it around an inch above the tile. When the tile is warm, the adhesive on the back should also be warm enough to soften. Push a putty knife under the edge of the tile and pry it up.

Repeat the process with the other tiles until they are all off.