Start by assessing the entire space and identifying any hazards or underlying issues that affect how you will remove the floor tile.

Begin by protecting yourself and the home with proper personal protective equipment including respirator rated for dust, eye protection, heavy gloves, knee protection and sturdy footwear. Turn off heating and cooling systems and cover or seal vents and doorways with plastic sheeting to prevent dust spreading through the house. Create a controlled work zone by moving furniture out and placing drop cloths on adjacent flooring and surfaces you cannot move, then mark electrical outlets and plumbing lines that could be under the tile to avoid accidental damage. Choose the right tools for the tile and substrate type; a hand scraper and pry bar work for small areas and fragile substrates, while an oscillating multi tool, rotary hammer with scraper bit or floor scraper with vacuum attachment will speed up larger jobs. Break tiles starting at removed trim or a scored grout line using a chisel and hammer or a power chipper, working in small sections to avoid excessive vibration that can damage the subfloor; keep removed tile pieces sorted and bagged for disposal. After tile removal, remove thinset mortar with a floor grinder with vacuum or a scraper and chemical softener on stubborn spots, then sweep and vacuum thoroughly and check for level and flatness within one eighth of an inch over ten feet before any new flooring is installed.

Three common mistakes are starting in the middle of the room which increases labor and risks damaging intact tiles and the subfloor, failing to isolate the area which spreads fine dust into the home, and skipping a proper flatness check which leads to new floor failures; start at an edge or transition, seal vents and use negative pressure where possible, and use a straightedge and patching compounds to correct dips or high spots respectively. Another frequent issue is using improper tools that either slow the job or gouge the subfloor, so match tool aggressiveness to the substrate and test in an inconspicuous spot first. Finally, overlooking hidden subsurface problems like water damage or weak plywood can turn a removal into a repair; inspect joists and subfloor as tiles come up and plan to replace compromised sections before installing the new finish.

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