How to Replace a Broken Tile

Replacing a broken tile can look like a simple project, but it can take a lot longer than you think if you don’t know what you are doing. If you see a broken tile in your kitchen or bathroom, your first call should be to Handyman Connection of Blue Ash to get an experienced contractor to take care of the job. But if you prefer to do it yourself, then here are some steps you can follow.

Wear The Proper Protection

Tile pieces can chip away and become dangerous during a removal process, and the tile left behind can be sharp. To protect yourself, always wear protective goggles and gloves whenever you remove tile.

Take A Picture Of The Tile

The idea of taking bits and pieces of your tile to the home improvement store to find a perfect match is not going to work for you or the store associate. Your best approach is to take a high-definition picture of one of the intact tiles, and then bring a piece of the broken tile to help match colors. If you cannot find a suitable replacement, then you will either have to put up with one tile out of place, or replace the entire floor.

Remove The Grout

You will need a special grout removing tool to be able to remove the grout without damaging the other tiles. You will have to remove the grout right down to the subfloor if you want to get the job done right.

Break Up The Damaged Tile

Even if your damaged tile is cracked, you can still make the job easier by breaking the tile up more before you remove it. A simple way to break up your tile is to get a drill with a 1/8-inch drill bit and drill holes in the tile in random spots. The key is to make sure the holes are spread out and not in one group together. When you start chipping away at the tile, the holes will allow the tile to break easily and be removed faster.

Scrape The Adhesive

If you did not install the tile floor you are repairing, then you have no idea what kind of adhesive was used to put the floor together. If you know what type of adhesive was used, then you may be able to get a compound that will make removing the adhesive easier. If you don’t know what you are dealing with, then you better get scrapping.

There are compounds you can use that are generic adhesive removers, but you must be very careful if you try to use one. If you get adhesive remover under any of the other tiles, then you may have a major tile repair job on your hands. If you can do it, the best approach is to use a hand scraper and scrape the adhesive away. Be very careful not to chip or crack any other tiles.

Install The New Tile

You have to be very sure that all of the old adhesive was removed before putting down new adhesive. If there is old adhesive remaining, then you will wind up having a tile that is unbalanced and could easily break again. Once the old adhesive is gone, place down new adhesive and set your new tile in place.

After the tile adhesive dries, you can put in new grout to surround the new tile. Do your best to match up the color of the new grout with the existing grout. The chances are very good that the current grout has been aged, which will make matching the new grout extremely difficult.

Repairing a broken tile can be a difficult job for someone who has never done it before. You can save yourself a lot of headaches and potential injuries by calling on one of the professionals at Handyman Connection of Blue Ash to replace your tile.