[Tralf]

Is there any way to get the old thinset off the back of ceramic tile? I had a couple of pieces that just popped loose (tile has been there several years). I've had no luck finding anything even close to the same size/pattern. I can't replace them without getting rid of the old stuff as they'll be too high. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[LeviDIY]

Our bathroom baseboards were tile - matching the floor tiles, and we weren't redoing the floor, just the walls and everything else, so we popped the baseboards off and had to get the thinset off them in order to get em back on... only thing we found that worked was a hammer, strong putty knife and a lot of elbow grease and patience.

 

[howdydode]

try a small puddy knife 1 1/2 inch, sander with a heavy grit.

your better off cleaning the loose mud off the back with the puddy knife.

Then use sub floor glue, ie liquid nails, pl 400, etc

liberally apply the glue to the tile mostly in the areas with no or little mud.

Attach the tile to the floor in the very exact orientation that it came up in.

Make sure the floor and tile are clean and clear of any loose material, don't be afraid to use a sponge to clean the tile and floor.

Use a bucket with water to hold the tile in place for a day or two.

Subfloor glue takes a few days to dry.

 

[Tralf]

Thanks LeviDIY and howdydode. I'm going to start with the putty knife and some gentle taps with a hammer (on the putty knife, not the tile).
Many thanks for your ideas.

 

[bkeech]

A while back I chipped some off with a flat screw driver and scrubed the rest off in the sink.