Remove tile fabric and mortar?

Shpigford

Doing a bathroom remodel and started breaking up all the floor tile when we realized there's some sort of fabric between the tile and the plywood that seems nearly impossible to get off.

As you can see from the attached image, all the tile came off, but the mortar stayed.

The "fabric" (no idea what it's called), was somehow glued or stuck directly to the plywood and I'm pulling the stuff up by hand might take 'til next year.

So, what are my options now? Is there some way to sand through the mortar AND the fabric so I just get bare plywood? Or will I just have to cut out the plywood and relay the flooring so I have a flush surface to work on for the new tile?

Attached Thumbnails

 

joecaption

Looks like the web backing that was on the back of the old tiles.
Was it small tiles?
I'd be using my Bosch Bull Dog with a tile chisle.

Shpigford

This stuff was definitely in big sheets laid on the plywood first and was below the mortar.

These were big 12" tiles.

And I used a large tile chisel to get the tiles up, but the mortar stayed firmly stuck to this "fabric."

Canarywood1

Looks like some kind of anti fracture membrane,probably going to need a spade bit and an air or electric hammer like Joe said.

Shpigford

That's what I used today to get up the tile. It wouldn't move the fabric.

oh'mike

Is the fabric an orange plastic--Ditra? Or is it a white nylon Mesh?

Could you be looking at Durrock that is set in thinset?

What ever you have a chipping hammer with a sharp wide bit should get it loose---
A grinder with a diamond cup also would help you----

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