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Topic: Any tricks for removing the mortar from the floor? (Read 1063 times) previous topic - next topic

Any tricks for removing the mortar from the floor?

The ceramic tiles came off fairly quickly. The mortar removal has been tedious. Any suggestions?
2003 U320 4010 - SOLD
2014 RAM 1500 Ecodiesel

Re: what’s the easiest way to remove the grout from the floor?

Reply #1 –
Have you tried heating it with a heat gun to see if it softens up any?  Then scrape it off with wide putty knife.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: what’s the easiest way to remove the grout from the floor?

Reply #3 –
How about this one - sorta like Twigs suggestion but wider blade:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL66I4eiFck
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Any tricks for removing the mortar from the floor?

Reply #4 –
We were doing the hammer/chisel method today and what I call "whack a mole" trying to break it up some. Very tedious! Ed did have a power tool that he tried, but it didn't work as slick as in the video. Maybe we'll rent a different power chisel. Thanks for the suggestions. Deb
2003 U320 4010 - SOLD
2014 RAM 1500 Ecodiesel

Re: Any tricks for removing the mortar from the floor?

Reply #5 –
You might try a brick chisel as it is about 3.5 inch or so wide, wear gloves and use a regular hammer to tap it.  Also a putty knife works.  You just don't want to dig into the plywood floor if possible.  I have used a diamond blade on my angle grinder and it works, just messy!  Lot's of dust, but always have a construction vacuum working at the same time.  Last job was removing over 1500 sq feet of thinset off a plywood floor.  Just another reason why I install concrete board down before laying any tile.
Joe & Dottie Allen
Sold!  December 2023.      2000 U320; build # 5645
Our coach " Maxine"
Motorcade #  15922;  Escapee 150950; FMCA F330833; Boondockers Welcome;  Harvest Hosts;  Thousand Trails
'98 U320 from 2000-'06
USAF '62-'66

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." ―Epicurus

Re: Any tricks for removing the mortar from the floor?

Reply #6 –

What about one of these tools.  Oscillating Tool, 1.5A Oscillating Multi Tool Oscillating Angle:3° GALAX PRO...
Mine worked great chipping off some concrete on our driveway.

Mark

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Mark and Tanya
Milton , Florida
US Navy Veteran (DV)
1999 U270 Special 40' CAI , 2015 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

Re: Any tricks for removing the mortar from the floor?

Reply #7 –
Quote from: juicesqueezer –
You might try a brick chisel as it is about 3.5 inch or so wide, wear gloves and use a regular hammer to tap it.  Also a putty knife works.  You just don't want to dig into the plywood floor if possible.  I have used a diamond blade on my angle grinder and it works, just messy!  Lot's of dust, but always have a construction vacuum working at the same time. 

Do please wear breathing protection when dry cutting/creating masonry dust

Google silicosis.
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Any tricks for removing the mortar from the floor?

Reply #8 –
Use a multitool with a scraper blade.  It will go faster than a hammer and chisel.  You can pick one up real cheap at Harbor Freight.
John M.

How-to use an Oscillating Multi Tool to Scrape Stuff Fast Tutorial - YouTube
John & Carm Morales

"We travel not to go anywhere, but to just go.  We travel for travel's sake.  Our great desire is to move."

Re: Any tricks for removing the mortar from the floor?

Reply #9 –
Everyone is steering you wrong IMHO.  What you want is an angle grinder with a diamond cup blade.  Also a shroud that allows you to catch the dust in a shop vac.  I think you'd be done with the whole coach in 15 minutes.  I used a diamond bit on an oscillating tool but it took impossibly long for just a few tiles.  Someone suggested the angle grinder method after I was done and it sounds MUCH better.

Re: Any tricks for removing the mortar from the floor?

Reply #10 –
Not sure that it would help, but I would try tapping it with a hammer, preferably something like a mason's or  brick layer's hammer. As it is pretty thin, creating a series of fractures on the surface might allow you to scrape it off more easily. When you're going at it from the edge with a chisel, your are trying break the adhesion which is very strong and just fracturing it on the edge where it is struck. I used a brick layer's hammer to remove old mortar from concrete pavers pretty successfully. I would be worried about digging into the floor with the angle grinder and diamond cup method since it was laid directly on plywood, but with enough skill and a steady hand, it might be quickly done that way. Some well calibrated tapping straight down might be effective and worth a try with little to lose. The diamond cups are pretty expensive, and the dust collection attachments can be even more pricey... Still, I would be tempted to try it just so I could add it to my tool collection. :o Either way you go, you will probably have some divots to fill.
Don
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Don & Tys
1999 U270 3602 WTFE #5402
Xtreme Stage 1 w/Headlight, Step Conversion, etc.
2009 Honda Fit Sport with Navi
Freedom is NOT "just another word for nothing left to lose"... with apologies to Kris Kristofferson

Re: Any tricks for removing the mortar from the floor?

Reply #11 –
Agree, have tried flap disc grinding pads when trying to remove adhesive off wood.
Guess my hand eye coordination is not so good, and I gouged the wood and had to use filler to smooth out the wood. As usual turned I turned a 6 hour job into 2 days.
Jim C.
coachfree, previous 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2003 Foretravels.

Re: Any tricks for removing the mortar from the floor?

Reply #12 –
Hmm..  Well that stinks.  All I know is I tried ALL of the less aggressive methods and it took absolutely positively forever for a very small job.

Re: Any tricks for removing the mortar from the floor?

Reply #13 –
Don - that's what my "whack a mole" method has been, pounding, breaking it up and scraping it off. It has worked well in some areas. Deb
2003 U320 4010 - SOLD
2014 RAM 1500 Ecodiesel

Re: Any tricks for removing the mortar from the floor?

Reply #14 –
Watch this to the end.  Really works.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JerVHGoj-d0

Keith
Keith, Joyce & Smokey the Australian Cattle Dog
1995 U320 SE Extreme 40' WTBI Build # 4780, with a Honda CR-V hopefully still following behind.
Motorcade # 17030
FMCA # F422159

Re: Any tricks for removing the mortar from the floor?

Reply #15 –
I have found that using a air scraper that is 42" long with a 4-5 blade on it will remove tile and mortar with little effort other than a air compressor that runs 90psi.  I removed 1200sq ft of tile and mortar out of my home with this with little to no damage to the subfloor.  They are just over a $100 at harbor freight.  use one edge to pop the tile loose and the other edge to bust the mortar loose. Really saves your back

Re: Any tricks for removing the mortar from the floor?

Reply #16 –
I just finished mine. Basically the best method I found was to use a angled pry bar that was about 16 in long maybe And a ball peen hammer. You hit the pry bar that's on the thinset several times and it will break it right off. I did find some really stubborn areas that just did not want to come off with that method, and for that I use a carbide blade on my Bosch oscillating tool. With the vacuum running the dust was minimum. I also tried a flapper wheel on my Bosch grinder and even with the vacuum running it created a ungodly mess. The floor is not perfectly clean but it doesn't need to be for what my plan is. I found the subfloor to be in fairly rough shape with water damage in several places. Going to put a penetrating epoxy down on the water damaged areas, and a self leveler floor patch on the damaged areas. Then luxury vinyl tile underlayment. Well I have no doubt that's some of the hammer chisel guns would be a good idea I didn't feel like spending any more money on a tool that I wouldn't use again. I always will use my hammer and the pry bar will come in handy too. And I already had both.
'99 U320 40 WTFE
Build #5462,
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