An air compressor and air chisel can make short work of it if you're in good shape. The dust will still get everywhere despite your efforts to control it. Be sure to tape off any ductwork and leave the HVAC off while this is going on. Double curtain the space with plastic sheeting in an air lock manner can help. But still be prepared to hire a cleaning service when the project is over.

Thank you live wire oak. I see that Harbor Freight has an air hammer for like 15 bucks.

I'd get that, but I have no problem getting my ripping or demo bars under the thick concrete backing and busting it up. I was hoping to section the stuff for easier removal of larger sections. The air hammer approach would seem to not to help with that end in-mind...

I put duct tape over the HVAC vents, thank you. The house is empty and the carpets will get removed and walls re-textured and painted (after painted-over wallpaper removal!), so the dust is just a health concern...

If your going to go the $15 Harbor Freight route for the air hammer, but several!!

Some HFT items are essentially disposable. Others have been remarkably long-lasting...

Given that I'd like to section-out squares of this material (tile with the concrete backing), this tool would not make that happen. I need something to cut... I have a corded circular saw that can receive a 7" diamond blade. I might try that, or just keep prying this stuff...

Thank you.

It's dirty and nasty work no matter how you slice it.

Using a Dremel would be a joke.

Cut it into sections if you like but you'll find a good pry bar and a big hammer will be your best friends.

Just don't beat it so hard that you damage the sub floor.

Good Luck.

Do you have to remove it? If it's not damaged and level could you use it as the base for the new floor?

You will need a specialty concrete wet saw to cut all of that. You'll burn up a regular circular saw in no time. Even a worm drive circular saw would find that rough going. You may be able to rent the concrete saw, but you will need to run a garden hose and a wet vac at the same time, so you'll need additional help. The dust will be a lot less, but the mess will be more.

If you don't want to deal with water running through the kitchen, then the chisel is your best bet.

I just redid a kitchen floor in our house. It was slate tile over concrete backer board---installed with thinset and nails---thinset/backer board with nails/thinset/tiles.

I rented an electric rotary hammer from Home Depot with a 2" wide spade bit. Minimized the dust and a 200 square foot floor took about a half hour to demo.

Much faster/neater than sawing.

I just saw the additional replies. Thank you everyone.

With respect to the Dremel, it's not the typical Dremel, but the Dremel Saw Max. Pretty dang powerful actually. I used it on the tile countertops quite successfully. It doesn't have the needed cutting depth for this stuff though...

I got half the kitchen done by using pry bars and a huge demo bar (Stanley FaxMax / BuBar III). It comes-up pretty easy actually, but the dang chicken wire makes removal a pain a times as it gets all tangled...

Every video I find on electric rotary hammers shows the tool working like a champ, but just only on the tile itself. I have the thick (about 1") concrete with chicken wire below. I provide a link to such a video below. It seems that he has the concrete backer board which can be removed, if desired, by simply taking-out the fasteners.

It's pretty hard to remove the tile without damaging the concrete below. Also, the new configuration of the kitchen dictates flooring changes, so it all must come-out (addressing a question above)...

I'll strap-on the knee pads and get back at it in a bit...

Thanks everyone.

Here is a link that might be useful: Electric Rotary Hammer on Tile

I suggest you do no further cutting and dust creation until you are sure the floor tile does not contain asbestos.

Here is a link that might be useful: Asbestos floor tile removal

kudzu, I believe it is ceramic tile or similar not vinyl.

I'm not getting email alerts, so I'm glad I checked this thread...

Yes, these are ceramic tiles, made in Italy, if that matters any. Apparently asbestos can be in ceramic tile. See the link below. Wow.

Is there any easy way to tell if these tiles contain asbestos? I already finished the kitchen and adjacent eating area. Still left is the entry way...

The house was built in 1972, and I believe these tiles were original.

I appreciate you taking the time to inform me kudzu. I never thought of tile having this stuff!

Here is a link that might be useful: Asbestos Info

uvascanyon-
My fault...I skimmed too fast and thought that they were vinyl on concrete rather than ceramic on concrete. I think the likelihood of encountering asbestos is small-to-nonexistent in your situation. However, you do want to wear a mask and keep things wetted down a bit so you don't inhale the dust as fine particulate is not good for you regardless.

Thanks for the follow-up kudzu. No need to apologize, especially when you are looking-out for one's health!

Maybe I'm overly paranoid now, but after reading a fair amount (some links provided in this discussion), asbestos was indeed used in clay / ceramic tiles too. While it generally stopped in the 70's for North American companies, it continued elsewhere, notably in Mediterranean countries, like Italy, where these tiles were made...

Do a search on "asbestos ceramic tile" and you'll see this stuff was used there too...

My son gleefully read to me (from our 1980 something encyclopedia) about the wonderful substance called asbestos and all of its applications. Yikes. If you can't trust World book....

uvascanyon-
If you are still concerned about this possibility, a qualified testing lab should be able to analyze a sample of the tile for less than $100 and give you an answer on whether it is asbestos-containing.

The thinset mortar is also likely to contain asbestos.

Uvascanyon, is that where you live? Uvas Canyon? My good friend lives over there @ Uvas road and Watsonville road.