I made a video of this process and I had the camera set up the wrong way. Vertically. Which is wrong. I wanted to address this before I addressed anything else about ripping out my floor.
So let's watch the video.
Spending 3 days ripping out tile, cement, wire mesh and plywood tends to wear a person down. It wasn't nearly as bad a job as I thought it was going to be, but ... it was bad enough that I wasn't quite thinking straight. Hence the vertical video. And the meal on Tuesday night of a Hungry Man dinner.
A HUNGRY MAN FROZEN DINNER. That is what I ate. I have no idea what the fella ate. Cat hair maybe. The most perplexing part is I thought the frozen dinner was going to be really good. Anything that didn't involve cooking or even chewing really, seemed enticing.
Mid demolition I had to run into my local drugstore for something and saw the Hungry Man dinners on sale. I grabbed 2 of them thinking they'd be as good as I remembered them being when I was a kid. I'm a sucker for fake mashed potatoes. Mmmm. The Hungry Man dinner was one of the weirdest things I've eaten in a long time.
It just occurred to me that this post isn't about frozen dinners. It's about ripping out a ceramic tile floor.
O.K. This isn't a real tutorial because demolition is pretty much just breaking things, shovelling them and dragging them out of the house. All while looking as cute as a used vomit bag.
I do have 2 tips for you if you're going to demo a ceramic tile floor though. You *can* rent tools to do this, but you don't need to. It's not fun, but it's not that hard either. It can definitely be done manually.
What you *should* invest in is a Super Wonder Pry Bar. Or something like it.
Also, buy yourself a roofing shovel. It'll make ripping up the plywood floors easier. I did not invest in a roofing shovel and used a flat end shovel instead. It worked fine, but a roofing shovel would have been better. I just plain old couldn't be bothered to go out and buy a roofing shovel. I ate a Hungry Man frozen dinner for God's sake. I was obviously in a fragile state.
Lest you think from the minute long video, everything was easy, here are a few shots revealing the true mess of everything during the ceramic tile phase of this Big Spring Project. Click on the picture to see the full sized images.
Now just the heated floors, self levelling concrete, tile adhesive and the actual tiles to go. Please send help. Or yes ... even a Hungry Man dinner.
Ziad Nasrallah
Ha! I work with foundations personally, so I am no stranger to telling people they will need to rip out their flooring so I can get at the problem. Very few of them take it as enthusiastically as you apparently do. Looks like a tough job, but a job well done. Also, I have heard a lot about heated floors lately. You should do a post on how they work for you when you are done.
Karen
That's the plan Ziad. I'm doing a post on how to install heated floors (and the things other people neglect to tell you about installing them) and how they work under VCT tiles. I assumed you couldn't put them under VCT but both Armstrong and Warmly Yours say you can. Here's hoping they're both right, LOL. ~ karen
Natika33
Wow - amazing job Karen! Good choice of music too! The rhythm went with your hammering - did you have to play with the speed to achieve that?
Karen
Thanks! I did indeed. ~ karen!
Shauna
Well, look at that, it is possible to be crazy and cute at the same time:)
Alex
You know I've been trying to convince my husband that IF we ever do a full kitchen makeover I would only agree if we could tear up the kitchen tiles (I hate them). But he refuses to do it saying I had no idea how crazy it would be. Watching you, I get it now. So how about I just hire you instead?
Karen
No.
laura gerber
Wow - amazing as always. When we ripped out our kitchen almost 2 years ago we had tile flooring on top of 3 (yes, 3) layers of vinyl flooring each with its own underlayment. But did that stop us from more remodeling? No, of course not!
maude
Our problem was what to do with all of the debris. Being a cheapo, I didn't want to rent a dumpster, so I must have gone through a hundred of those contractor bags and put them out over months. I won't be making that mistake again. I also did not look nearly as sophisticated while working as you:)
Maude
jamie
Coming from a 28 year old female but...you're gorgeous.
Tracie
You are one brave girl!
Susan
After watching what you went through. my little bathroom floor ought to be a piece of cake. Your determination and thoroughness are an inspiration!
nancy w
Wow, you are amazing! This makes me glad my kitchen is tiny. We want to rip out the ugly, shiny, black ceramic tiles with no grout between them (did the installer just forget?) and will buy the gadget you recommended, the super bra/bar thing, or, based on the previous comments, hire it out!
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
~ Nancy
kelliblue
good lord Karen! WHERE is the fella during all this and WHY isn't he helping you??? *scoffing and snorting*
At the very least, he owes you a nice long full body massage...because you'll need it!
Other than that...WOW. YOU ARE WOMAN HEAR YOU ROAR! Way to go...or is that LET'S GO?! :)
Denise Leavens
Thank you for having the flying hammer moment in your video! I laughed out loud - there is nothing relaxed or elegant about my laugh - and smiled for an hour after that.
My propensity for cracking up to the point of laying-on-the-floor-until-I-can-catch-my-breath when my own hammer goes flying no longer amuses my husband.
I guess the honeymoon is over.
Rita
Reminds me of when we reno'd our basement. We gutted it completely (had to fix the foundation and decided to remodel while we were at it). I got to destroy the fireplace surround with a 10 pound sledge. It was hard work, but oh so satisfying! The worst part was carrying out the debris.
sera
oh also, I laughed out loud at your vertical video. I ALWAYS do this because I'm using my phone. doh!
Call Me Patty
Karen, You're my hero woman. Listen if I lived on your side of the country, I would so make dinner for you and drop it off until you were done with your reno. You would deserve someone doing that for you. Rock on!
Lin
You go girl! I like the occassional Hungry Man Turkey dinner. BIG job yer tackling....and with such elegance. Nice butt shot lol. Look forward to more video coverage from 'Karen's Latest Bit of Awesomeness'.
Rondina
Well, that went fast. But you definitely weren't yourself when you bought those frozen dinners. I didn't even think they sold those things anymore. Please, please show the self-leveling concrete. I have to do this in the mudroom and would love to see you do it first. They always mix it in giant containers that look way to heavy to carry.
Susan
Wow, I'm so proud of you! I'd never think of doing it myself. Does rendering leaf lard count? I did that yesterday.
I've been making (melt and pour) soap, bread and gonna learn to use Mom's spinning wheel she gave me yesterday, and got to hang up the laundry outside right now....see I'm OLD minded too. STILL won't own a cell phone....at least I'm stubborn!
Nope, not gonna redo a floor..."Oh John...can you...."
Hugs, Susan
Nancy Blue Moon
Did the Fella eat his Hungry Man Dinner? After the great meals you two have it must be a shock to your systems..lol..I knew you could do it Karen! And quite elegantly too!
Barbie
OH and I forgot.....my favorite part of the video is when you swung the hammer and it went flying off. LOL been there done that!