Showroom Remodel Step 3..... The Foyer Floor

In order to go ahead with our showroom remodel, we needed a new foyer floor. Something with impact and breathtaking!!!!

So we decided, after much debate and careful consideration of our alternatives, to go with a water based concrete stain. This meant tearing up the ceramic tile that was here originally.

Tools for tile tear up

Tile demo hammer
Sledge hammer
chisel
safety goggles
gloves
trash can
flat blade shovel
band-aids

shop vac
time

In order to tear up tile, you need a removal method. We chose a tile demo hammer. This was a rental item. We rent from a local place near our showroom.

The ceramic tile was put down with toughest stinky mess ever created and then it got old. The demo hammer was employed for about an hour of work. Then the hard part part began....thin set removal (or whatever that evil stuff was).

This stuff did NOT want to come up. It was old and cranky. We tried multiple methods of removal..vinyl adhesive remover, various chemicals. Then we went back to the rental place and got a 17" rotating floor buffer with a diamond grinder and sand paper with several different grit levels (80 and 100).

Then back to the showroom. We put the sander to work. Little circles, little circles and slowly it comes off. Much blood, sweat, tears, and band-aids later, we are down to bare concrete. Then we had to clean up the mess. Employ the shop vac.

Ready for round 2....