How do you remove thinset from a concrete floor?

To remove thinset from a concrete floor, pry up large pieces with a chisel, dislodge the remaining pieces with a straight hoe, and disguise the residue with latex mortar. The supplies required are safety goggles, a hammer, a chisel, a straight hoe, latex thinset mortar and a trowel.

1. Pry up large sections with a chisel

   Put on safety goggles. Place the point of a chisel against the thinset, and pound the handle with a hammer. Drive the chisel beneath the thinset until a piece breaks free. Pick it up, and discard it.

2. Scrape the thinset with a straight hoe

   After removing the large pieces of thinset from one section of the floor, scrape up the residue with a straight hoe. Angle the tip against the floor, and forcefully scrape the blade across it. Remove the thinset in sections, alternating between the chisel and the hoe, until the only remaining fragments are thinner than 1/8 inch.

3. Camouflage the thinset residue

   Use a trowel to coat the floor with a 1/8-inch layer of latex thinset mortar. Smooth the surface, and let it dry according to the instructions on the mortar tub. This process camouflages the residue and fills in gouges caused by removing the old thinset.