Chipping Away

There's been alot going on, but first I'll start with the mini-jackhammer fiasco. It was a bit heavy, but easy enough to use. The problem is it didn't break up the cement like the contractor said it does for him. Perhaps the rental has lost its oomph? The subfloor was too brittle and dry to use the jackhammer vertically and used horizontally under the wire mesh the concrete was just too thick for the vibration to break it up.

"If things go wrong, don't go with them." ~Roger Babson~

So, off to Home Depot to buy a heavier sledgehammer and a digger bar about 7' long. The method that seems to work is to hit each tile with the sledgehammer, cracking it, then to shove the digger bar underneath as far as possible and wedge it upward. This lifts the metal mesh, breaks up the concrete and the tile. My brother seems to have more power in working the sledgehammer as lifting up on the digger bar bothers his back whereas it doesn't bother mine. Oh! Did I mention that we finished the bathroom in short order? And that now I have the 1st floor entry, kitchen and back entry to do? And I'm sure you're wondering how the subfloor could survive a blow from the sledgehammer and not the jackhammer. The concrete was absorbing most of the shock leaving the subfloor intact. This photo shows the subfloor, tar paper, the wire mesh lifted up from it and the thickness of the cement with a 1/4" crosscut section of tile with cement attached at the top.

"Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records." ~William A. Ward~

And still others to break even more cement! It's a bit daunting but I know I can do this now that I know the method. I can make progress until I tire, then sweep, clean up and let my muscles recover and/or go work on the popcorn ceiling until I can handle working on the cement again. I won't need to hire a personal trainer at the gym after all of this!

"Enjoy life. Treat it as an adventure. Care passionately about the outcome, but keep it in perspective. Things are seldom as bleak as they seem when they are going wrong - or as good as they seem when they are going well. Lighten up. You'll live longer." ~Unknown~

Scraping the popcorn off the ceiling is a cinch compared to the tile problem, so it's a joy to actually accomplish something without going beyond my current capabilities. I have finished the upstairs hall and two of the three bedrooms. The method that works best is to use a 1/2 gallon garden mister (one you pump), spray a section of the ceiling with water, wait a couple of minutes and then use a wide plaster scraper to remove it. At the proper angle it comes right off so it doesn't take long at all. Clean up is what takes a while.

So! All in all progress is being made. I'll keep chipping away at my little corner of the world, slowly improving it, and in the end we'll see what we're able to make of it!