How do you remove old tile adhesive from walls?

Posted on 7/2/2021

You’ve picked your new tiles, taken up the old ones and are raring to go with updating your room. The only sticking point is, quite literally, the old tile adhesive. Its job is to bond to the floor or wall – and sometimes it just does it far too well.

Removing old mastic or old tile adhesive can be a tricky and time-consuming process. Worse, it can be costly to fix if it goes wrong and you accidentally damage your walls or floor while doing it. Luckily, Local Heroes are on hand to help, and can save you the frustration of doing it yourself.

How do you remove old tile adhesive from walls?

Whether you’re wondering how to remove old mastic from walls or how to remove old tile adhesive from floors, we’ve rounded up six ways to do it. Before you start, make sure you have the right protection – gloves, mask and sturdy shoes for you, and dust sheets for your home.

1. Remove old tile adhesive with a chisel

Chip away at old mastic with a hammer and chisel – you’ll need to be very careful though, to avoid damaging the wall beneath.

2. Remove with a scraper

Alternatively, a scraping tool might give you a little more control over the job. Just be sure to use one with a strong enough blade to deal with old mastic.

3. Use warm water

You might be lucky and find that you have organic mastic or other type of tile adhesive that can be softened by warm water. Soak a cloth in warm water and apply it over the old tile adhesive, leave it to soak for a while and it should become easier to scrape off.

4.Get a wallpaper steamer to scrape it off

There are some products available on the market that can help to remove old tile adhesive. As when using all chemicals, read and follow the instructions carefully.

5.Use a specialist product

Use a small trowel to apply a layer of adhesive to the wall, and also to the back of the tile you’re replacing. Do it one tile at a time if you’re replacing more than one.

6. Book a tiler to remove old tile adhesive

However much you might enjoy DIY, there are some jobs that are just a bit of a slog – and removing old tile adhesive is one of them. You can save time and energy by getting an expert in to help.

Local Heroes will find you a trustworthy and reliable tiler in your area who can pop round and remove your old tile adhesive for you. All Local Heroes tradespeople are vetted and insured. Their work also comes with a 12-month guarantee, backed by British Gas.

Booking is simple – just click here to get a quote and find the right Local Hero for you.