How do I remove paint from cement patio to have prepared for tiles?

We are considering laying tiles on our patio, but it has been painted and we have been advised to remove the paint first, we would like this as a D.I.Y. to cut costs. So how do we remove the paint and with what?How do I remove paint from cement patio to have prepared for tiles?
This can be done a couple of ways, depending on the current situation with the paint.





If the paint is fairly thick and already pealing, you may be able to simply use a high powered water pressure to get it. You can rent them for like 30 dollars a day from home depot. You might do better to use a box cutter first scoring the paint in several places, as this will loosen it up better for the water pressure to get in and under the paint.





You can scrape it off with a heavy duty spacling knife. If this is the method that you use, you can score with a box cutter here too, however, just a few in one direction, and then one or two down the length of each side. Just enough to get up and under the paint.





You could also use a sander and a grinding stone to grind the paint down. This is, by far, the messiest method, and I would do it as a last resort.





Paint thinner is probably the wors way if you have grass or plants too close... spilling that will kill the grass for sure (My opinion, not based in fact).





Hope this gives you some ideas.How do I remove paint from cement patio to have prepared for tiles?
I have made my own paint remover...it's easy and cheap





One can of Red Devil Lye





One box of Faultless dry powder starch.





One large bucket...not thin plastic...but one of those thick 5 gal paint buckets.





Add a gallon of water to bucket and slowly mix in the powdered starch....it will get really thick. Put the Lye in the bucket and add another gallon of water...mix it up...be careful lye can burn you. This mixture will start to heat up with the lye. If your bucket is too thin it might melt. Once this mixture is complete...pour it on the patio and spread with an old mop. The starch helps keep the thickened lye in place....you should start to see the paint start to bubble in minutes. You can use a large scraper and remove it...or might even be able to hose it off. It's best to scrap off as much as you can...because this stuff will kill your grass around patio.





Not bad....2 gallons of paint remover for around $10 or less.