Removing Splash Board Caulked to Tile Wall?

[post2google]

So I have to replace a sink vanity in the bathroom, but the side splash block is caulked to the tile wall. The back of the vanity is probably caulked to the wall too. I asked at the hardware store and the guy there recommened using a "fillet knife" and doing the "insert, wiggle + repeat" process.

Seems like this is going to scratch the heck out of the tile, which I want to avoid as the new one will have to be smaller than the original and the wall will show. Any better way to do this or do the make non-tile-scratching fillet knifes?

The current sink/vanity is 26x19.5 and all the current ones I see are not in that size. In a Perfect world I would like one that is

25-ish by 19" as the corner it's in is only 17" deep and I don't like the sharp corner sticking out, but I can find no place that has 17" deep sink/vanity sets.

Thanks.

-P

[marks542004]

What I have done in the past is to use a painters masking tape on the tiles and a stanley knife or other knife to score the caulk, then a plastic putty knife to remove it after moving the sink unit.

[thetiler]

Removing the vanity and splash board is hard to judge because only you can tell how tightly it's bonded. Sometimes they pop off easily, and sometimes there is such a bond to the tile that the tile's pull off the wall.

Assuming you get them off and there is just caulk remaining to be removed--- in the flooring dept. at the box stores they sell a hand held scraper that holds sturdy 4" wide razor blades. This tool shouldn't scratch the tile (do this at your own risk) and it works well to get the caulk off the tile. You have to work slowly for two reasons: 1) for safety, these tools can cut you badly, and 2) you risk chipping the corners or edges of tiles if you start wailing away at the caulk. Slow strokes, holding the blade tightly to the tile is best. Chipping off smaller amounts at a time works best- don't get too greedy, trying to scape off too much caulk at a time.

thetiler

[the sagacious dolt]

that's because a sink with a faucet will not fit into 17" deep vanity unless you install a bar sink instead of a bathroom sink.

the interior of a 17" deep vanity is only 16" deep minus the 2" needed for the front. leaving you with 14" for a sink and faucet. see what I mean?

[Norminn]

You can probably find a kitchen wall cabinet that depth. Could fashion a toe-kick base for it. Might be tricky to find a sink that fits, but a little inventiveness might get the job done. If the sink rim is a bit wide, but the bowl fits, a curving counter might get it to work.

[mm]

When I needed to remove caulk from the border of bathtub with the floor and the wall, I used an electric heat gun. The first time I guess I went to slow, because smoke came off and the smoke detector went off, but the second time I moved the heater more and it went fine. I just got it a little warm and used a putty knife to pry it off. A plastic puddy knife sounds like a good idea. I don't if the two caulks are the same, but my tub, tile, and wall were totally unscathed.

Maybe a powerful hair dryer would have almost as much heat????