Flooring Tile - 53 year old kitchen counter tile removal

I need to install a new kitchen sink in a tiled counter top which was set into morter. The tiles around the old sink have broken when I have tried to remove them. Even more important the force and the brittleness of the 53 year old tiles caused the edge tiles to break also. They are thicker than current tiles and U shaped as opposed to J shaped---not made any more, I am told. I have tiled the floors in two rooms successfully so want to try retiling the counter myself. How do I remove the old tiles, morter and wire? What do I do to prepare for retiling? HELP!! and thanks!

It would be easier to just rip out everthing in one peice. Then replace the counter with 3/4 plywood and then add a layer of cement board to that for the base for your tile.

Ann, invest in an angle grinder with a dry cutting ceramic blade. Have someone hold the hose of a wet/dry vac close to the grinder as you cut the counter into approx 1 ft sections, all the way down to the substrate. Then you can remove these smaller sections by getting under them with a prybar. Follow the instructions on the second post and you should be ready to start laying out your new counter top. Good luck!
If you are not down for that much work use the girnder to cut a straight line down the sides of the sink, far enough away to get rid of all the broken tile , and chip that part out down to the mortar bed. Find your self a complimenting or contrasting peice of tile and have it cut to width of your demolition around the sink. This should net you with a picture frame effect that, oftentimes, leaves you wondering why you didn't do that to start with.
Do you need another suggesstion? I don't want to bore anybody.

I agree with rip it out and start over. You can't match 50 year old tiles, but you could install the new counter top in a mud bed like the old one if needed for height reasons. Just have to find a real old tile setter like me to do it.

I'm not sure if anyone still makes the U shape but you might try American Olean . com they are one of the oldest companies---they used to use that shape for several different things, like swimming pool gutter/handrails.

If you are looking to restore the historic look contact the National Tile Contractors Association @

www.tile-assn.com they might have an idea or 1000.