Removing self leveller and Ditra from plywood floor - TilersForums.com

[Cookerooby]

Hi All,

I’m ripping out a failed existing tiled floor. Tiles had not been back buttered so they popped off easily enough. I’m now confronted with a layer of tile adhesive, a layer of self levelling compound of varying thickness (6-12mm) covering electric underfloor heating mat which is on top of ditra mat. The ditra mat is stuck to plywood with a vinyl type glue you’d use for lino. There are cracks everywhere going through both adhesive and self levelling compound but is stuck well to Ditra. I need to get back to plywood and if that is stable then install insulation board to ply, followed by UFH and then tile.

As the timers will know getting all this up is a nightmare! Currently I’m cutting 110mm channels (the width of chisel) into the floor and then using a small breaker to get under Ditra and gun it up, but it’s taking forever!

Just wondered if anyone out there had experience of this and had a better method, or could recommend the best type of SDS Max chisel they’ve used for this sort of thing. Would it be better to use a bigger breaker, one you use standing up? At the moment it feels more difficult and time consuming to break SLC free from Ditra first and then get under Ditra hence why I’m currently persisting with small hand held breaker.

Would love some advice, I’m knackered!

Thanks.

 

[AliGage]

UFH is on top of the ditra? In this setup ditra should of been the last thing put down before tiling.

Removal is always a chore and difficult process. Might be easier to make a hole through it all so you can get under the ply and pry it up that way.
For the sake of replacing the ply at additional cost, be a lot quicker. Chances are when you get down to the ply it will be fubar anyway.

Curious also as to why all your adhesive and SLC has crack too. Could these cracks be the joints of the ply substrate?

 

[Ben-gee]

I’ve done this type of thing swinging a mattock once you’ve made a hole through the ply. This in conjunction with a 3 foot gorilla bar actually goes quite quickly.

 

[Ben-gee]

I’ve done this type of thing swinging a mattock once you’ve made a hole through the ply. This in conjunction with a 3 foot gorilla bar actually goes quite quickly