Safety tip :-   Do not attempt to remove wall tiles without safety goggles (not safety specs) and protective gloves, fragments of the tiles being removed will shoot off in every direction and they can have extremely sharp edges.

Safety goggles

Before you start work, if you are removing wall tiles above, around or near sinks, baths, worktops etc, protect these surfaces with several layers of dust sheets, old towels or whatever you have available to avoid the surfaces being scratched. If you are removing wall tiles from above, as an example a bath, extra protection may be needed as a wall tile dropping from height may do a great deal of impact damage on whatever surface it lands on.

Start by lining up the edge of the bolster chisel with the tile grout line, angle the bolster chisel as close to the wall as possible and strike the chisel with your hammer (the first tile is usually the hardest to remove), you will soon get a ‘feel’ for how hard you need to hit the chisel in order to remove the tile. When you have removed several wall tiles the others should hopefully start to chisel away much easier, this does depend on the original adhesive used to hold the wall tiles in place, if the adhesive is standard tile adhesive, the wall tiles should come away fairly easily, the adhesive can then be removed from the wall using a strong paint scraper or wallpaper scraper, if the wall tiles are stuck in place on a cement render or adhesive then it would be a good idea to let your friends and family know you may be busy for a while.

If the cement adhesive is on a solid brick or block wall you can remove it using a bolster chisel and hammer/lump hammer but this will take some time, if the cement adhesive is on a partition wall , then removing the cement may damage the partition wall surface so much that it may need to be re-boarded with an appropriate board such as Aquapanel. I had this problem at home and after attempting  to remove several wall tiles and cement adhesive I decided it would be far easier to tile over the original tiles on this particular section of wall.

Tile grout, especially in wet and damp areas such as showers and around baths does tend to discolour after a period of time and if left alone will eventually turn Black and become very unsightly. I have the same problem in my own bathroom but rather than re-grout the tiles (one of my top three don’t want to do it jobs) I tried a grout pen which basically colours the grout white.

The discoloured grout should be cleaned as much as possible, I used an old toothbrush and liquid soap with hot water, this takes quite a while but it did remove some of the grout discolouration, then rinsed off the tiles and grout with clean water. Dry the tiles and grout with a towel or cloth and wait several hours or more if possible so the grout is completely dry.

Safety Tip :-  If you decide to use cleaning agents wear gloves, avoid splashes and keep the room well ventilated.

When you are confident the grout is dry (read the instructions first) run the grout reviver pen along each of the grout lines you want to whiten, depending on how badly discoloured the grout is, you may have to repeat this along the grout lines to achieve the desired result. I used a Unibond grout reviver pen which I purchased for £4.99 and although it is not cheap, it did the job and made a huge difference to the appearance of my bathroom, I have used other cheaper brands in recent years, but this is the best one I have used so far.

To prolong the life and colour of both tile grout and sealant it is worth trying to get everyone who has a shower or bath just to spend a minute or two drying off the tiles and around the bath or shower base with a dry towel when they have finished, doing this will reduce any mold growth and therefore reduce the discolouration. If, like me you have teenagers at home who leave the bathroom looking like a water park this might take some persistance on your part.

Tiling a wall is straightforward providing the wall has been prepared correctly (see where to start), I always use a ready mixed waterproof adhesive and plastic tile spacers with a width of around 3 mm, which can be purchased from all tile and DIY stores. The spacers are in the shape of a cross and make tiling a wall a great deal easier, providing the first row of tiles stuck in position are perfectly level (See diagram below).

There are two ways to apply the adhesive, a professional tiler will more than likely use a large serrated edge trowel and spread it on the wall surface and then stick the tiles in place, this is a good method but you have to work quickly before the adhesive starts to set and I like most DIYers don’t tile every day, therefore I use the following method. Using your adhesive spreader (the Red one) with its serrated edge (see image below), spread an even layer of adhesive on the back of the tile, usually around 4 to 5 mm thick, try to use roughly the same amount of adhesive on each tile. As you place each tile in position fit the tile spacers on the corners of each tile and remove any excess adhesive that may come through the joints. You can if you wish, use the tile spacers ‘end on’ so they can be removed when the adhesive has set. When you have, as an example stuck six tiles in position, place a straight edge or your spirit level on the face of the tiles to check that they are level, and adjust any tiles that are not sitting flat. If any tiles are set back too far you will have to take the tile off the wall and add a little adhesive to bring it further out, level with the other tiles.

Continue tiling across and up the wall, placing tiles in position and making the appropriate cuts (see cutting tiles). Don’t forget cut tiles have sharp edges, so wear  gloves when handling them. When all the tiles are on the wall, allow time for the adhesive to set and then you are ready for grouting (see grouting tiles).

Tiling bead comes in various colours and gives a smooth finished edge to tops of tile rows and corners, any small visible gaps can be filled with either a little grout or coloured sealant. When you are ready to tile a corner or top row of tiles, cut the tiling bead to length/angle using a small mitre block and a hacksaw with a fine blade, as shown below, lightly sand off any rough edges from the cut and as you put the tiles in position put the bead in place. Tile bead has a thin serrated back which the adhesive can ‘key’ to.  The adhesive will set and hold it in place.

Safety tip :-  Wear safety googles and gloves to avoid any injury from sharp pieces of flying tile and sharp tile edges, keep children and pets away from the work area as again there may be sharp pieces of tile on the floor.

The first job to do is to remove any existing tiles from the wall, this can be done using a hammer and bolster chisel (Wear safety goggles and gloves), protect any surfaces in the work area to avoid damage caused by falling tiles and be aware of any sharp pieces of tile on the floor.

When all the tiles have been removed, the wall surface needs to be prepared for the new tiles and adhesive. The wall should be as flat as possible as reflections from glazed tiles will show up and exagerate any discrepancies in your tiling.

Any loose plaster should be removed, any high spots chiseled out and patched up, any holes filled, Allow time for the new plaster to dry thoroughly before tiling. Don’t try to tile over old wallpaper, it must be removed, and any smooth or shiny surfaces should be scratched with a knife and/or  course sand/wet and dry paper so the adhesive has something to ‘key’ to.