Renovation guides

How to remove bathroom wall tile yourself: step by step

Old wall tile almost never comes off cleanly. Plan to take the substrate down with it and rebuild — it is faster, cheaper, and the only way the new tile will be flat.

Difficulty 3 of 5 · about half a day · careful

Photo of your room, the look you pick, then this guide with the materials counted for your room.

Step by step

1. Step 1 of 13

   Work out what the tile is stuck to

   Pull a switch plate or look at a cut edge behind a fixture. Tile over drywall or greenboard comes off with the board. Tile over a thick mortar bed with wire lath is a different, much heavier job — get help for that one.

2. Step 2 of 13

   Pre-1980: test the tile, grout, and mastic

   Wet a small area, cut a sample, bag it, send it to a lab. Pre-1978 also means lead-testing the painted wall around the field.

3. Step 3 of 13

   Seal the room

   Plastic across the doorway, tape over the exhaust fan and any register, window fan blowing out, respirator and face shield on.

4. Step 4 of 13

   Protect the tub, the pan, and the drain

   Cardboard plus a moving blanket in the tub, taped down, and a rag stuffed in the drain so chips cannot go down it.

5. Step 5 of 13

   Confirm water and power to the room are off

   The shower valve, the vanity light, and any outlet in the field are all things you can hit.

6. Step 6 of 13

   Open a starting point at the top of the field

   Mist the area. Break one tile with the hand sledge and chisel, then work the chisel behind the neighboring tiles at a low angle. Always work downward so falling tile is below your hands.

7. Step 7 of 13

   Cut the substrate out with the tile still attached

   Score the drywall along the studs above and beside the field, then pull whole panels — tile and board together. This is faster than chasing mastic and gives you a flat wall to build back.

8. Step 8 of 13

   Cut carefully around plumbing

   Set the recip saw blade shallow, or use a hand saw within a foot of the valve, the tub spout, or any cable. Expose before you cut.

9. Step 9 of 13

   Look into the open wall before you close anything

   Wet framing, black staining, crumbling board, or a dripping valve means stop and fix the cause. Photograph what you find.

10. Step 10 of 13

    Check the studs for plumb and the cavity for blocking

    New tile needs a flat plane. Note any stud that bows out — the hanging task shims or planes it before board goes back on.

11. Step 11 of 13

    Bag half full, double-bagged, and haul it out

    Tile and mortar are dense. Small loads down a protected path.

12. Step 12 of 13

    HEPA-vacuum the cavity, the floor, and the framing

    Then wipe the framing down damp. Dust left in the cavity comes back out for months.

13. Step 13 of 13

    Ready to hang new board

    The hanging task picks up from here with the right board for a wet area.

    Quality check

    • All tile and its substrate are out; no loose mastic left on framing
    • Pre-1980 materials were lab-tested before they were disturbed
    • Tub or pan is undamaged and the drain is still plugged
    • No wet framing, mold, or dripping valve in the open cavity
    • Studs checked for plumb and flat; bows noted
    • Room HEPA-vacuumed and framing wiped damp

Draft guide written from standard practice, not yet reviewed by a licensed pro. Follow product labels where they differ.

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