Removing Tile Backer Board

[liamus]

Hello,
I am removing all the tiles in my bathroom in order to renovate the room.The bathroom floor is 22mm chipboard with a tile backer on top. I have removed the tiles and now need to remove the backer board, Ideally I want to be able to lift the chipboard too to reroute the towel rail pipes. Any hints (required tools etc) to lift this up?
Many thanks

[dewaltdisney]

Tile backer board is usually a cement and fibre mesh that gives a good substrate for tiles. Once you break out a corner you can generally get under it and break it out. The problem might be that the chipboard floor is glued and screwed down so it might be better to cut a slot for pipe access or replace the lot. This might be difficult if you have flooring board overlaps with internal stud walls built over perhaps. As always without X-ray vision you have to proceed with caution and assess as you go. Try to get a good idea of electrics and plumbing that lay under.

DWD

[liamus]

Thank you! So just a prybar then to lift up the backer board? Will it be screwed down too?

[dewaltdisney]

Possibly drywall screws, it will break away in chunks. Another thought is that one of those cheap endoscope cameras that attach to your mobile might be handy to have a look under the floor to see where the pipes and electrics are,drill a small access hole. There is an Android one on Amazon for £12.

DWD

[liamus]

Great advice thank you - if I know the boards are 22mm thick am I not safe to set my circular saw to this depth and take up a section?

[dewaltdisney]

I always am cautious as flooring can be either 18mm or 22mm so do a pass on 18mm first and then see where you are. I am paranoid about hidden wires waiting to be cut. I drilled into a wall once and hit a lighting cable even though I had used one of those useless wire and pipe detectors. I got a right belt. Just be careful and think through your moves and it will be fine.

DWD

[Grendel]

Just an idea but it might cause less hassel and mess to go from underneath if you can. In the past I've cut a hole in the ceiling , carefully , done the work and then replaced the piece of plasterboard requiring just a bit of filler and paint to make good.

[liamus]

Thanks for all the great advice so far. On the subject of the backer board should that come up fairly easily? Is there likely to be damage to the chipboard in the process?

[dewaltdisney]

Can you see any screw heads in the tile board, scrape the surface to see. The board will break up and leave the screws with about 12mm showing and you can use grips and turn them out as the slots will be full of adhesive probably. I think G's idea of coming from below for the plumbing might be a good call rather than pulling boards. Would this mean that the tile backer could stay?

DWD

[liamus]

I used a magnet to locate the screw heads so can find them and will cut into them as you suggest. The backer board is in a terrible state as well as being damaged in a few spots so I would much rather get it up and lay fresh. Coming in from below is a good idea but I feel like I am already ripping out from above so may as well plough on

[dewaltdisney]

It is a progressive job that reveals things as you go. Just proceed slowly so you can see how it all lays as you pull bits up. Let us know how you get on

DWD

[Grendel]

For stubborn fixings try drilling the backer boards around the screw heads. That way they will pull through much easier and be less likely to damage the chipboard underneath.

[liamus]

Thank you! Will get back to it this weekend and report back!

[liamus]

All ripped up - was tile backer board on top of plyboard which splintered all over the place but it's ripped up!