Need some advice:

My wife wants the tile on our bathroom walls replaced with beadboard. The problem is that it looks like the tile was pressed directly onto VERY thick plaster and lath. It almost looks like the bathroom was intended to pull double duty as a tornado shelter.

I'd like to just remove the tile, seeing as how cosmetics is a non-issue since it will be covered by the beadboard. I really don't want to demo the lower half of the wall.

Would some sort of oscillating tool get it done?

Anybody have any ideas or experience with this?

Alot of times, just rapping them with a hammer will break them, and their bond with the grout, and mortar underneath.

Roto hammers with an 1.5" blade, hammer only mode, can really speed up the demo. any decent rental yard will have one.

The osicilating tools are decent for small jobs but you'll eat up alot of blades on any large jobs. Hammer and a wide heavy guage putty knife might work better. you may have to just cut it all out with a sawzall and replace it with drywall.

Cool. Thanks for the tips.

another possible route I forgot to mention. If you have access to a high capacity air compressor, you could buy a pneumatic chisel. These can be had for about $30 at Napa or wherever and will have a couple bits included. Basically a mini jackhammer.

It probably goes without saying, but if you use the saws-all, make sure there aren't any pipes or electrical wires behind the plaster, or be mindful of them if there are.

another possible route I forgot to mention. If you have access to a high capacity air compressor, you could buy a pneumatic chisel. These can be had for about $30 at Napa or wherever and will have a couple bits included. Basically a mini jackhammer.

I have used an electric hammer drill with a chisel bit.  It worked great to chiseal away part of a cement foundation.

Cliff

Just cover the tile with the bead board, use an FRP adheasive, and forget about it.

Just cover the tile with the bead board, use an FRP adheasive, and forget about it.

I'd like to, but leaving the tile and bullnose would cause the beardboard to be about 3/4" out from the wall. Maybe even an inch now that I've gotten up and looked at it.

I'll go with fourbizz's idea and start whacking them with a hammer. After trying that I'll re-assess and decide.