Badly installed tiles

[MrsSilenceDogood]

The tiles in our bathroom seem to have been installed badly. Some are not quite level and the grout appears to be failing. I removed one tile so I could see what substrate was used. How do I go about removing the tiles and preparing the floor for tiling? I'm a noob, so a detailed explanation would be great.

 

[Wayners]

Watch YouTube for answers

 

[Iwilldoit]

Looks to me like they are installed directly onto chipboard flooring. The tiles that have cracked are ones that have been weakend by cutting to an L shape of sorts and look like they have cracked on the chipboard join. Possibly the chipboard is not fixed down properly to start with then non flexible adheasive and grout has not been used.
A proper fix would be to remove everything, secure the chipboard floor then fix a tile backer board onto that and then re tile.
To do it so it does not happen again is a right faff and in my opinion I would never try to tile a wooden floor upstairs - whack some vinyl down.

 

[MrsSilenceDogood]

Thanks, what's the best way to remove the adhesive?

 

[Iwilldoit]

Thanks, what's the best way to remove the adhesive?

For large areas something like this and for smaller areas there is a hand version.

Bulldog Premier Floor Scraper

The flexible blade made from hardened spring steel makes this the ideal tool for removing oil and mud. 48" all metal shaft. Head width 205mm. Replacement blade available (code 65351).A very useful and durable surface preparation and clean-up tool. Each scraper is fitted with a strong 48" long...

www.toolstation.com

 

[MrsSilenceDogood]

That's incredibly useful. Thank you so much.

 

[Wayners]

Waterproof adhesive has to be chipped off.
None waterproof adhesive spray with water to soften

 

[Iwilldoit]

That's incredibly useful. Thank you so much.

You are going to hate it and if the job is not re done belt and braces full spec for tiles then you will be re doing it again in the not too distant future.
I would clean it all off and put vinyl or waterproof planks down.

 

[ree]

OP,
You have attempted to lay the large tiles over sheet vinyl or sheets of "small tiles" - IOW's tile on tile.
There's no signs of prepping the surface of the first layer of whatever material - & the attempt to spread adhesive for the large tiles is useless.

 

[matlob]

Can't see where it's tile on tile? They are directly onto board.

The small squares will be the pattern of the underside of the laid tiles and within the adhesive

 

[ree]

Poster #10,
Perhaps you missed: "the first layer of whatever material"?
The small squares are are obviously not impressions from the undersides of the larger tiles.
What does "and within the adhesive mean"? Do you mean the underside has imprinted itself in adhesive?

 

[Alastairreid]

Laid directly over chipboard by the looks of it and if they are porcelain the back of the tile should be primed.

 

[Alastairreid]

OP,
You have attempted to lay the large tiles over sheet vinyl or sheets of "small tiles" - IOW's tile on tile.

Don't think it was the op who done the tiling.
Nothing in any of the above pics suggest tile on tile or vinyl sheets.

 

[Iwilldoit]

Like I said from the start it looks to me like direct onto chipboard. And by the looks of this picture the backs of the tiles were not primed or "buttered" the adheasive has stuck to the floor but not the tile - you can see the back of the tile imprint in the adheasive. What is odd though is that you can also see the notch marks in the middle which would indicate that area is lower - also pointing to a wooden floor.
I think the reason all the grout is coming out is because the floor is not properly screwed down and is moving and cracking the grout.

 

[Iwilldoit]

Its also badly thought out for the layout because right on the stepping area of the threshold there is a small cut triangle piece and a 3 way join