Tile – How to remove Cement Board that has been screwed in and is bonded to wood subfloor with thinset

cement-boardceramic-tileremovalsubfloortile

I am in the process of purchasing a townhome and I am looking to tear up the existing 12" ceramic tile that covers the entire main level… an area close to 600 sq. ft. to make way for laminate flooring. Thinset has been used to bond the tile to the cement backer board, and the backer board has been screwed to the wooden subfloor. There is also some sort of adhesive/mortar bonding the cement board to the wooden subfloor.
What tools will I need. Are there any techniques that would make it easier? Would trying to remove the cement board damage the subfloor? If so, would it be acceptable to repair damage with some sort of floor leveling compound?

Best Answer

Here is an idea to consider. If the tile comes off the cement board fairly easy, you could leave the cement board, scrape off the thinset and lay your foam and laminate over the cement board. Just a thought depending on the overall thickness you need to achieve.