old morter?

Question

i've just lifted the ceramic tiles in my kitchen and now i need to remove all the old mortor underneath,any ideas.

Answer 1

The word is "mortar," from a French word that means "pulverized." Mortar is a sand-cement mix used to cement bricks, stones, or concrete blocks together to build walls.

The cement used to fasten ceramic tiles down is a different substance, and is usually what is called "Mastic." Depending on how old it is, most Mastic contains silicone rubber or some other elastic material. The only way to get it up is to scrape it up. If it is old and the rubber is dried out, this can be made easier by first taking a hammer to it and breaking it into small chunks.

Breaking up Mastic is harder if it is still rubbery. The best tool is a sturdy wide mason's chisel. Tap it under the edge with a 16-ounce (or heavier) hammer and pry the mastic up in segments.

Before you try to replace the tiles, spend some time in the library and read some books about the construction you plan to do. If you aren't sure what books you need, ask the librarian for help. If you want to do a workmanlike job, you must understand the tools and materials you plan to use.

Good luck!

Answer 2

I don't know who old morter is, but just kick his butt out.

If the tiles were actually laid using mortar, you'll probably have to get busy with a hammer and maybe a cold chisel. Usually, they use thinset, which is more like a glue, and can be looseded with some paint strippers. I'd try Saf-T-Strip first.