How can I gently remove & save very £££ tiles from the shower wall so I can resuse them?

[FarmerBrian]

Very sadly I find my newly tiled shower enclosure needs to be opened up again. These tiles were something we saved up for for a long time. They're handmade & very expensive. I have plenty of time, is there a way I can remove them from the wall intact so we can reuse them?

It might not be possible - once tiles are up , they normally don't come off without breaking. But you can try - remove all the grout between them using a grout saw. Then carefully slip a thin putty knife between the tile and the wall and try to ease it off. Good luck.

Is there any way you could do the work from the other side ? Go up through ceiling? Stud wall ? Good luck 🤞

We need to expose the pipework. The wall is solid block & would need a scaffold outside to come in from behind. Someone else has suggested an oscillating Japanese saw. I might try a small steak knife for it's sharp teeth.

Are they on any kind of plasterboard? In our old family home when I grew up we had a leak behind, which soaked the plasterboard and the tiles pretty much fell off. Can you take them off with the plasterboard (if you have it) and then soak off?

We are just taking real marble tiles from our kitchen. The builder told me it was entirely dependent on how they were fixed (grout type tile adhesive or cement based adhesive)

I've no idea if they're on plasterboard, I'm gonna guess not.. I think all I can do is try 'sawing' behind the first tile with a serrated knife & see what happens...