How To Repair Porcelain Floor Tile

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If i or more of your floor or counter tiles have cracked—whether from regular wear and tear or from having a heavy object dropped on them—you don't necessarily need to supervene upon the croaky tile. If replacing a tile isn't in your budget, or if the tile isn't badly damaged, you can repair the tile. If the tile simply has a sparse hairline crevice in it, you tin fill information technology with an epoxy. Or, for a more DIY selection, endeavor using wood glue and boom polish. If the tile is too badly cracked to repair it, you tin simply supersede the damaged tile.

1. 1

   Buy a ii-function epoxy kit at a local hardware store. Epoxy is, substantially, a hardening mixture that you can use to "glue" together the 2 pieces of your cracked tile. While in that location are 1-part epoxy kits, the 2-part variety is college quality and will hold your cracked tile together for longer.^[1] Check at your local hardware store and, if they don't sell epoxy, effort a home-improvement shop.

   • Good-quality 2-role epoxy kits sell for around $35–xl USD.

2. 2

   Clean the cracked tile with paper towels and rubbing alcohol. Pour a little rubbing alcohol onto 1 or 2 sheets of paper towel. Wipe the clammy paper towel over the surface of the cracked tile until it's make clean. Cleaning the croaky tile will remove any dust and grime and ensure that the epoxy sticks to the surface of the tile itself.^[2]

   • Both of these products are sold at every grocery store and drugstore.

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3. 3

   Mix together the epoxy on top of a spare sail of paper-thin. Utilise a popsicle stick to scrape out most 2 tablespoons (43 g) of epoxy mixture from each of the 2 bottles onto a sail of cardboard. Stir the ii parts of the epoxy together until they're fully blended. This will starting time a chemical reaction that hardens the epoxy.^[3]

   • If yous don't have extra paper-thin lying effectually, y'all could also mix the epoxy on top of a strip of wax newspaper or scrap woods.

4. 4

   Smear the mixed epoxy along the hairline fracture in the tile. Take your popsicle stick and scoop up about half of the mixed epoxy. Transfer the epoxy to the tile and carefully spread a thin layer of epoxy along the entire length of the crevice. The liquid will slowly seep downward into the crack earlier it hardens. Make sure that you've also covered about ¹⁄₂ centimetre (0.twenty in) on either side of the crack with epoxy, too. Work fast, as the epoxy dries rapidly.^[four]

   • Try not to become the epoxy over the residuum of the un-cracked surface of the tile.

5. 5

   Wait 5–10 minutes for the epoxy to dry. The epoxy should exist fully dry in less than fifteen minutes. To see if the epoxy is dry, effort borer information technology with the tip of 1 finger. When information technology's fully dry, the epoxy will exist house to the touch. Your finger will also come away with no traces of epoxy goo stuck to it.^[five]

   • While the epoxy is drying, don't touch it or fix anything on top of it. As well continue any pets and children in your home abroad from the tile.

6. half-dozen

   Cut away backlog dried epoxy from effectually the crevice. Utilize the sharp edge of a razor blade to scrape away any stray epoxy that got onto the tile. To clean off the epoxy, concur the bract at a 45-degree angle against the surface of the tile. Slide under excess epoxy to remove information technology.^[6]

   • Be conscientious while yous're cutting epoxy with the razor blade. Razors are extremely sharp, and you could easily cut yourself if the blade slips.

7. 7

   Tint the epoxy to match the color of your tile. You can purchase a powder dye (specifically made to dye epoxy) from any craft or hobby shop. Mix the tinted powders (east.g., dark-brown, gray, black) together until you create a colour that matches your tiles. Following the manufacturer'due south directions, apply the dye powder to the epoxy until the location of the repaired crack is no longer visible.^[7]

   • This stride is optional. If you observe that the epoxy is already close to the colour of your tiles, you may choose to leave it undyed.

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1. 1

   Apply a sparse layer of woods glue over the widest role of the crack. This method works well for cracks that are larger than small hairline cracks. Squeeze out a dollop of woods mucilage onto the crack on your tile. Use your finger or a chopstick to smear the wood mucilage lengthwise beyond any parts of the crevice larger than one millimetre (0.039 in) beyond. Wait almost x minutes for the gum to dry.^[viii]

   • Wood glue will aggrandize and contract without losing its adhesion to the tile. This strengthens your repair and ensures that the repair chore will final.

2. 2

   Paint a thin layer of fingernail polish along the crevice. Employ the small castor that comes with the nail shine to draw the liquid shine out of the metal jar and onto the surface of the tile. Smear the polish along the fissure in your tile until the entire cleft is covered. Likewise comprehend one–2 millimetres (0.039–0.079 in) on either side of the crack to make certain that it seals.^[nine]

   • This method of repairing tile will only work on tiles that have a glazed finish, not porous tiles.
   • Information technology's best to use a shade of nail polish that matches the surface of your tiles. For case, if you lot have light beige tiles, choose a lite biscuit shade of nail smooth.
   • In some cases, if y'all tin't find a shade of polish that matches your tile exactly, you may need to mix together 2 separate shades to create a matching polish.

3. 3

   Expect 10 minutes for the fingernail polish to dry. The smash polish needs to fully dry before you lot finish repairing the cracked tile.^[10] To see if the nail smoothen is dry after x minutes, lightly tap information technology with a finger. If your finger comes away dry and the boom smoothen doesn't take the prototype of your fingerprint on it, the polish is dry.

   • If the nail shine is still damp later 10 minutes, wait an additional five minutes.

4. iv

   Remove any backlog smash fingernail smooth with nail shine remover. Information technology's easy to accidentally get as well much nail polish on the surface of the tile. To remove it, just cascade a petty flake of nail polish remove onto a gauze cotton swab. Smear the cotton swab across the excess smash polish 5–6 times to remove it.^[11]

   • If the excess nail polish doesn't come off on the kickoff try, use another cotton swab and more nail polish remover and try once more.

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1. 1

   Drill 3–4 pocket-size holes in the tile to weaken it for removal. Hold a power drill vertically higher up the broken tile so the bit will go direct down into the tile. Squeeze the trigger to offset the drill, and drill a few holes to weaken the tile. The holes should be in a straight line in the center of the tile, going either horizontally or vertically across the tile face.^[12]

   • If the drill kicks upward small pieces of tile or creates dust, clean upward afterward yourself with a dustpan and broom.

2. 2

   Chip autonomously and remove the tile with a hammer and chisel. ^[xiii] Place the blade of a chisel along the line of holes that you drilled in the tile. Tap on the barrel stop of the chisel with a hammer until the blade breaks through the tile. Tilt the chisel at a 45-caste bending and proceed borer it along so that it breaks all of the damaged tile away from the surface beneath it.^[14]

   • Hammer with plenty power to crack the tile merely not so much force that you damage the wood below the tile. Also be careful not to damage any of the side by side tiles!
   • Once y'all've removed the tile, throw information technology in the trash and sweep up the area.

3. iii

   Scrape off any grout or mortar that remain beneath the tile. ^[fifteen] Grout is a tough, viscous material and will most likely take adhered to the wood under the tile. Hold the bract of the chisel at an acute twenty-degree bending (relative to the flooring) and slide it forth the space where yous simply pulled the tile out. Scrape until you lot've removed all of the grout.^[16]

   • Throw the grout abroad in a trashcan that children and pets don't accept access to (so they can't consume it).

4. 4

   Find or purchase a new tile to supplant the damaged tile you removed. Ideally, yous'll have a spare tile or 2 left over from when the tile floor or counter was installed. If that'south not the case, have a picture of the tile you're looking to supersede. Bring it with you to a nearby home-improvement store or tile specialty store. Look for a tile that matches the tiles in your home as closely as possible.^[17]

   • The sales staff volition also be able to help you notice a matching fashion of tile.

5. 5

   Use mortar to the base of a replacement tile. ^[eighteen] Put on a pair of latex gloves before y'all start working with mortar. Purchase a small tub of mortar and a putty knife from a local hardware shop. Employ the blade of the putty pocketknife to scoop up a dollop of mortar and spread it evenly across the bottom side of the tile. When fully spread, the mortar should be about ⁱ⁄₈ inch (0.32 cm) thick.^[nineteen]

   • Exist conscientious not to get mortar on any of the other tiles. It's difficult to remove!

6. 6

   Gear up the new tile in identify and employ gentle pressure. Concord the tile so that it's centered over the hole that yous removed the original tile from. Set the tile in the hole and press downwards lightly to seat the tile in place.^[20]

   • If y'all use too much pressure, excess mortar will be pressed out from below the tile and come up on its sides.

7. 7

   Apply grout around the new tile using a grout bladder. Spread a small dollop of grout onto the bottom of a grout bladder. Run the grout bladder across the surface of the newly installed tile. Continue to utilize grout on and effectually the tile until the small ¹⁄_four inch (0.64 cm) gaps on all four sides of the tile are completely filled in.^[21]

   • A grout bladder is a large, flat tool with a handle that you tin use to spread grout around. You tin can purchase one at a hardware shop or home-improvement shop.
   • Brand sure to use a color of grout that matches the existing grout that surrounds other tiles!

8. 8

   Wipe the tiles clean with a damp rag. ^[22] Before the grout dries, dampen a rag or erstwhile washcloth and use information technology to rub the new tile (and any other grout-covered tiles) make clean. Brand sure to go out the grout in the gaps surrounding the new tile undisturbed. Permit the grout dry overnight, and your tile surface will be ready for use!^[23]

   • If yous forget to clean off the tiles for a few hours, removing the grout will be a much harder job!

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Add New Question

• Question

  Can I easily replace a croaky tile?

  

  Art Fricke
  Home Renovation & Repair Specialist

  Fine art Fricke is a dwelling renovation and repair specialist and the owner of Art Tile & Renovation based in Austin, Texas. With over 10 years of experience, he specializes in bathroom and kitchen renovations. Art focuses on a single contractor approach to customized renovation work, and performs projects such as installing custom tile showers, fixing tiled shower leaks, replacing croaky tiles, and installing floor and wall tile.

  

  Abode Renovation & Repair Specialist

  Practiced Answer

  You usually tin! Merely scrape out the grout effectually the tile and use a hammer and chisel to interruption the old one out. Subsequently that, you lot can apply mortar to the new tile and press it into place. Don't forget to fill up in the gap with new grout.

• Question

  Do you put mortar on the dorsum of a tile?

  

  Art Fricke
  Home Renovation & Repair Specialist

  Art Fricke is a domicile renovation and repair specialist and the possessor of Art Tile & Renovation based in Austin, Texas. With over ten years of experience, he specializes in bathroom and kitchen renovations. Fine art focuses on a unmarried contractor arroyo to customized renovation piece of work, and performs projects such as installing custom tile showers, fixing tiled shower leaks, replacing cracked tiles, and installing floor and wall tile.

  

  Domicile Renovation & Repair Specialist

  Expert Answer

  Yeah! When yous're fix to lay the tile, scoop out a dollop of mortar and swipe it onto the dorsum of the tile before placing it down on the flooring.

• Question

  Tin you lay new tile over former mortar?

  

  Art Fricke
  Home Renovation & Repair Specialist

  Art Fricke is a home renovation and repair specialist and the owner of Art Tile & Renovation based in Austin, Texas. With over 10 years of experience, he specializes in bathroom and kitchen renovations. Art focuses on a single contractor approach to customized renovation work, and performs projects such equally installing custom tile showers, fixing tiled shower leaks, replacing cracked tiles, and installing floor and wall tile.

  

  Dwelling house Renovation & Repair Specialist

  Expert Reply

  No. Before y'all lay down new tile, scrape upwards the old mortar to prepare the area. Otherwise, your floor may exist uneven.

• Question

  Tin can you remove one broken tile?

  

  Art Fricke
  Domicile Renovation & Repair Specialist

  Fine art Fricke is a home renovation and repair specialist and the owner of Art Tile & Renovation based in Austin, Texas. With over 10 years of experience, he specializes in bathroom and kitchen renovations. Art focuses on a single contractor arroyo to customized renovation piece of work, and performs projects such as installing custom tile showers, fixing tiled shower leaks, replacing cracked tiles, and installing floor and wall tile.

  

  Home Renovation & Repair Specialist

  Expert Respond

  Yes! Just fleck autonomously the erstwhile tile you want to remove. Then, pry up the pieces using a hammer and chisel.

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Things Y'all'll Need

• 2-part epoxy kit
• Rubbing alcohol
• Paper towels
• Popsicle stick
• Cardboard sheet
• Razor blade

• Forest mucilage
• Chop stick
• Fingernail smooth
• Nail polish remover
• Cotton swab

• Drill
• Drill bit
• Dustpan and broom
• Hammer
• Chisel
• Replacement tile
• Mortar
• Putty knife
• Latex gloves
• Grout
• Grout bladder
• Rag

• Be enlightened that, although repairing a cracked tile is a quick and easy method, it'south just a temporary solution. The tile will likely crack over again. Replacing the tile—although it's more expensive and time-consuming—is a longer-lasting ready whether the tile is located in your floor, bath, or pool.

• If y'all'd rather not apply an epoxy to patch upward your cracked tile, many hardware stores and dwelling house-comeback stores also sell fast-hardening tile filler.^[24]

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