Removing paint from old tiles

[fitz556]

Hiya,

I just discovered that my fire surround and hearth, which i previously thought was plain, actually has some lovely glazed tiles underneath two layers of paint.

I have no idea if it's tile paint, looks like the bottom layer at least is gloss. Just had a quick go at scraping it off. Some of it comes off with just the edge of a plastic blade but it's hard work! Tried a metal edge but am reeeeally worried about scratching them.

Any ideas what else could work? Will Nitromors damage the surface? They look like they might be quite old and have a gorgeous design so I don't want to try things willy nilly in case I ruin them!

 

[phatboy]

Could start by warming them with a hair dryer as this isn't too intense, then use your plastic scraper.

 

[ryanhirst]

Heating the tiles is an good idea, you just need to be careful that you dont over heat them.

 

[measureitonce]

try some nail varnish remover if you have some about the house, or paint thinners. Concentrate on a small area at a time. Whatever you do is going to be slow going I suspect to avoid damage.