Can't your remove the tile and cut/chip where the cabinet and tile meet? you can install quarter round moulding to hide any imperfections of chipped tile.

I was told it was not possible to cut around and put a corner round/shoe to cover the gap because the tile is ceramic, it must be taken out with a hammer and chisel (cannot be cut), and there is no way to get a precise enough edge to add a shoe to cover a gap. So frustrating...

It is possible to put new tile over your existing tile. Check for cracks in grout and any tiles that may be loose. If everything is secure then go ahead and pull up all of you quarter round or shoe molding. Then apply a "skim coat" (A mix of thin-set mortar and water) to allow for a proper bond for the next step. Next, I would install tile with a proper thin-set mix and then grout as you would a normal ceramic/porcelain tile install. They sell tile with a hardwood look with colors similar to what you already have... When done install new quarter round or shoe molding. This will raise up your floor about 1/2", so you may have to update your threshold between the two floors already in place.

It is possible to cut with a three inch tile blade as close as possible to the cabinets and after that the tile can be chiseled out. It will take more time, but I have done it many times. Good luck.. Just find the right guy or gal!

Thanks Idealmarble...know anyone in Chicago that can do this? I dont want to put tile over tile as this is already a raised kitchen but thanks for that idea.

I'm pretty certain if you used a cutoff tool with a diamond blade (you might need a few...) that you could get close enough to your cabinets for a nice, clean cut edge on that ceramic tile. Be sure to remove your shoe molding first! Then proceed with demo as you normally would. I also recommend using a medium sized demolition hammer, goggles, and gloves. This allows you to match up with your existing floor

Hi Wug123. Your floor looks like a it's a Mexican terra cotta tile. Why not go along with that Latin theme and display some of colorful Mexican pottery on the walls and counter. I think that painting the walls an off white would be a good idea and would look great with the splashes of color against it. I can't tell what color your granite is but hopefully it was chosen to match the tile and doesn't fight against it! You could pick one of the colors in the pottery, perhaps a cobalt blue and repeat it in a rug in front of your sink. Have fun!!

Currently there is not a shoe on the cabinet.

If you don't have your heart set on light cabinets, I would suggest keeping what you have, working with the gray in the countertops and choosing a light gray for the walls. You could spend your money upgrading the appliances, lighting, bar stools.... you could add pull outs and special features to your cabinets...


And, if you want to go white with new cabinets, I would still use gray and keep the tile. The lights in the last photo would tie in your tile floors to this color scheme.

Sorry, I don't, but now you know what you want and how it can be done, so I suggest calling installalers and telling them you are looking for someone to remove the tile that way, and you will find someone. You have a beautiful kitchen, and I think your plan will look very nice. Defineatly no tile over tile..

I would be concerned about buying a bunch of things to work around something...when you should really just put the money towards replacing the thing you are working around.

No idea where you are located, but we've run into similar situations with some of our clients who want to "ditch" the tile and replace it with hardwood.
Seems to be a common theme these days... tile just isn't all it's "cracked" up to be.

Truth of the matter is, over the years, I've found that tile removal is a coin toss between being very simple... and extremely troublesome... depending on what system was used by the original installers.
At any rate, there are "demolition" companies in most areas, that are equipped to do a much more efficient (and safe) job than the average DIYer with a hammer & chisel... (had a client a few years back that decided he was "handy" enough to demo his own tile in prep for our hardwood... 3 days & 16 stiches later, he opted to job it out).

As was suggested, with the proper equipment, (diamond saw & various other pieces of equipment) you tile CAN be removed.
Recently worked with a local (Sacramento, CA area) demo company that based their services on about 3 bucks a foot for demo & disposal.
Believe me... I wouldn't be able to touch that price.

Addendum: I just noticed in one of your comments that you're near Chicago... There has GOT to be someone there who is set up to demo that tile reasonably & safely... if you were out in the boondocks, I'd see a problem... but not in a city.

This is similar to the kitchen we inherited in our new house. Terra cotta floors can be "bossy," and tough to work with. I think if you paint the cabinets white, you'll see how it brightens up the kitchen. Good luck. Here's our old kitchen: http://my.diynetwork.com/crash-me-please/South/Memphis-TN/detail.esi?oid=30714526

wug123, I don't know who told you it couldn't be done, but always get a second opinion. Nice thing about houzz: second opinions, and third and fourth, are free. I am an inveterate diy-er and I would remove that tile in a heartbeat. Personal experience has taught me there's almost nothing that can't be done--did you know you can cut precise holes in ceramic with a Dremel?--so go for it.

Absolutely can be done...I myself have removed tile and installed new tile or other flooring! If you would rather spend the money on new flooring, then labor to remove...go for it.

As recommended previously, wear gloves, safety goggles, long sleeves, hat, and knee pads. Borrow, rent, or buy the proper tools and you will have it out in a day no problem.

If you can live with the tile and it's in good shape, then you should work with it until you are ready to gut the kitchen and start from scratch.

Painting is the least expensive thing you can do to achieve dramatic change quickly. From what I can tell be the photos of your countertops they have flecks of black and greys? What if you painted the cabinets black or charcoal grey, and the walls the same green as shown on other walls? You can hire someone to spray the cabinets with a lacquer stain...that will change the color, but still show all the wood graining if you prefer that look.

This would tie your counters and floor together; create a flow of wall color; and the cabinets would then accentuate the stainless/black appliances.

If it is in the budget...it would be amazing to install a tile back splash of glass, stainless, and floor color in linear tiles of various lengths, but same width 1" approx. OR tile back splash same as floor tiles on the diagonal.

Have attached photo of my own kitchen so you can see the black cabinet idea. I actually built new cabinet doors from MDF and sprayed them with a black lacquer...because I wanted them to shine. Everyone who has ever seen my kitchen loved it! Best of luck.

It seems the easiest and least expensive would be to paint the cabinets white like the first poster...and to ignore the floors. After a while, you don't notice them, and probably you're the only one who does notice them anyway. But, if you have the time and money and this is your final home, and not a "spec", go for it all...!

weathered Ivory paint. Lose the minty green, it makes the floor look funky... theres nothing really wrong with the floor.

What about a floating timber floor over the top of the tiles? Where there is a will there is a way....

My old tile was under my kitchen cabinets too. It was all removed. The new tile was thicker than the old tile so it was butted up to the kick plate of the cabinets. Quarter round was added. It looks great. It can be done but takes more work. The first picture shows my old tile on the new tile. Just to show the thickness. The second picture is the with the tile removed; before the floor was sanded smooth and leveled where needed (baseboards were removed too). The third is the finished floor.

I think your flooring is beautiful. Consider it a neutral and ignore it. In ten years it will be popular again ( look at the comeback of orange, green, and gold - LOL!)

Your tile is pretty but it's the black grout that is what pops that tile color. You can go to home depot in the tile section and get grout paint! I have the same color in my bathroom and I painted the grout to match the tile and it looks really nice...also looks cleaner as black grout looks dirty to me. I did this 3 years ago and I have not had to touch it up at all...I think the paint soaks in...it also seals the grout!! Took me about 1/2 hour!

The other thing to consider is that your tile is orange and your cabinets have that same orange color...think about painting the cabinets darker. I have recently done this for a friend...to a weekend to do, including drying time. Lowes has this kitchen cabinet kit by rustoleum that does not require sanding,,,it has a liquid that you use to wipe the shiney finish off. Costs $75.

The Rustoleum kit is for transforming your cabinets. They have 2 different kits...the other restores the color of your current cabinets. You can pick a light or dark color. Also, the first coat of the paint looks horrible...DO NOT panic, the second coat is amazing! You have to take the kit to the paint counter and choose your color and they will mix it for you. There are 2 cans of glaze in the kit, we did the kitchen and the master bathroom and still had leftovers! I would like to have done a 3rd coat before the glazing, but the home owner was happy with 2 coats. Use a paint brush or a foam brush.

great idea...Less clutter really helped, too.

Hi Wug123

I'm not sure where you are from or what is available in your area.

You could tile over your current tiles (perfectly ok as long as you follow the right preparation procedures and the current tiles are laid properly) and use what we call a 'transition edge' here or timber beading to prevent you having a lip.

You can also grind around the cabinets.

I would recommend a visit to your local tile shop to discuss your options. They will have tradespeople that they know and can recommend to come out and solve your problems.

I certainly don't recommend painting or trying to stain your tiles as they look like a glazed product so whatever you put on them will eventually flake off (a bit like nail polish).

Good Luck

Should you succeed and you will in removing tiles , I recently was in Classic baths where the tile display blew me away. Flo was kind enough to give me the web site of the tile maker from Spain. View their products. www.porcelanosa-usa.com

First you carefully remove the kitchen baseboards. Then you can drill loads of tiny holes into the tiles right underneath the edge (or use a ceramic cutter) so your tile floor can be removed. Save money and do most of it yourself, it's not difficult, just a lot of work. Don't forget dust mask and safety glasses.

As others have said, get a second opinion. Your job is doable, you just need to find someone willing to do it. All the guy you asked was really saying is that he isn't willing to undertake it.

And if you don't like the floor, no amount of painting or staining your cabinets is going to change what you don't like. Get the floor done and be happy with the room. :)

There are some great vinyl tiles on the market now that can be laid over tiles, I have some that look like polished concrete, but there are so many choices I am sure you would find something you would love. I would look into it a bit more!

1. I don't think your tiles are that ugly. You might rethink the icky green back side of your bar there though. 2. Don't paint the cabinets-that's what's keeping the tiles from looking totally wrong. 3.You can place stone over top of tiles. Just hire a good tiler. You'll end up with a raised floor everyone will trip on, but that's the price you pay. 4. Never-ever use vinyl tiles-talk about ugly, dangerously out-gassing, cheap, and will reduce the value of your home if you install them! People take one look at vinyl vs. tiles and bolt. Better terra cotta tiles than toxic plastic. 5. A good tiler can cut out the tiles around the cabinets.

Your tile looks like Mexican terra cotta tile to me. I have a whole den floor of it. I did a room sized Seagrass rug to cover it up. However, your tile is not undesirable. Paint your cabinets white if you like and change your counters. I think you will be surprised how much better your floor will look! Good luck.

Painting cabinets white w/ terra cotta: before and after

Looks great!

I'd go with light paint (maybe a grey would be more interesting than cream, given all the light walls to the left there). if you're refinishing the floor, you could do a darker wash/stain to contrast better with the tile, which honestly looks perfectly nice to me. both of those other changes will get the eye away from the wash of orange and toward the very nice countertop that's hiding in there (and that will continue to hold it all together). Good luck -- show us some After photos! :)

The store where I purchased my tile removed the old tile and installed the new. I paid $3.00 sq ft. +Cost of tile. You could buy shoe mold or quarter to finish it off nicely. You have nice cabinets, countertops and appliances so just invest in the floor. It will be worth it!

Personally I love the warmth of satillo tile which improves as it ages, but if you don't like it, any good tile installer can cut at the base of the cabinets and chip up the tile. It's messy, it's dusty, but you will end up with what you want including wood if that's your choice. Anything left can be covered with molding....look around and see is personally recommended in your area.

Removing old tile is a nightmare and so not worth the trouble and cost. Your tile is not so bad; it's the orange cabinets, dark backsplash and wierd minty green paint on the island that are throwing it off. Paint the cabinets a creamy white, a pretty blue/orange/green/cream mosaic tile on the backsplash and get rid of the minty green. A pretty rag rug on the floor and you'll feel much better. If you STILL hate the tile, THEN invest to remove it. Try the easy route first.

I found custom-tiles.com on houzz.com Contact custom-tiles.com to see if they can change already in-place tiles

I'm looking for the tile you have on your kitchen floor. Do you have the name and lot number?

Why don't you remove the upper cabinets and then take down the tile. Put the cabinets back up and your set.

this thread is so old just wanted to say i think your kitchen is BEAUTIFUL! no changes needed in my opinion. i stumbled upon this thinking about tearing out my tile.. what did you decide?

Nice job changing the cabinet color. It definitely distracts from the over load of orange rust color the floor and cabinet had competing with each other. Now the floor stands on it own and looks good. The cabinets complement the dark grout and look strong..

Oops. Sorry that was just a mock up by exciting windows. I like her idea still...

This year, I had tile removed once an existing floor to ceiling cabinet was pulled out and a wall (not loading bearing) was removed to open up the kitchen to the great room because the kitchen (connected thru a walk through) was 4" bright white tiles with chocolate grout 1/2 in lines, connecting to an aqua blue green tile in the great room. There would have been no way to match the existing tile. It was a mess, noisy, dusty but went much faster than I anticipated. We didn't remove the bottom cabinets, we did remove the appliances to the great room. The dust was horrendous, but the house was empty so just opened the windows and doors and turned on huge fans to exhaust the house.