Ready for Tiling

The removal of the last two sections of tiling was extremely difficult.  I was in real trouble when I realized that the impact drill could not cope with the cement bedding, which was unbelievably strong.  Out of desperation I reverted to the hammer and chisel and got acceptable results by striking the hammer hard, at my extreme limit where missing the chisel or perhaps breaking it in two could have caused great damage to my left hand, which was protected somewhat by a leather glove.  (I also wore eye and hearing protection.)  I started each run by first working the chisel along the grouting between the tiles to be removed and those that would remain, in a successful attempt to prevent damage to the remaining tiles as adjacent tiles were chipped out.  After 8 hours of hard work over two days I finished tile removal and the area was ready for tiling along the surface of the original floor, which had been strong enough to survive all of the pounding.

I finished the job by spending hours cleaning the dust from the bathroom and porch, first with brooms, when I brushed the walls and various surfaces, then with a damp sponge, first on the walls and surfaces, then on my hands hand knees on the floor.

Now that the danger of tracking dust from the porch into the house was eliminated I spent another two hours the next day thoroughly vacuum cleaning and wiping down the interior of the house and everything in it.  I finished that by vacuum cleaning the porch floor for good measure.

Working through the last run of tiles

Ready for Tiling