Tile wall and flooring suffers from three basic types of damage: scratches, chips and breaks. Each kind of damage varies in severity and expense. A scratch may only take a few minutes to repair. A chip takes a bit longer. A broken tile usually requires 24 hours for the grout on the replacement tile to cure. Hiring a professional to complete the job takes much of the worry out of home repair. Plus, a professional contractor is more suited to handling repairs to the entire tile wall or floor.
Wear and Tear
The most common cause of tile damage is minor wear and tear. Scratches and chips are the natural result of a family use over the years. Scratches can develop from pets treading over the floor. Children may scratch the walls and floors by drawing their favorite toys across the paint surface. Even dropped cups, plates and other items can chip out a piece of the tile. Luckily, most of the minor scratches and chips can be filled in with an epoxy or other similar material. Most noticeable imperfections may require replacing the tiles.
Problems with the Subfloor
Broken tiles can develop when there are problems with the subfloor in a home. The floor may have shifted or begun to sag. An unstable subfloor, especially in a home with a basement or on the second floor of the home is a risk. Before homeowners can repair the tile, they need to repair the floor. This is a task for professional contractors. It may involve replacing part of the floor, fixing water leaks and damage and even installing new support beams.
Repairing Minor Tile Damage
Replacing or repairing a damaged tile requires a little time, skill and the proper tools. Homeowners should keep safety in mind before starting any project. Wear safety glasses and gloves for protection against wayward ceramic chips. Also, lay out plastic sheets and old blankets to protect the rest of the tile, or an acrylic tub or sink, from a misplaced hammer strike.
Scratches in the Tile
A small scratch is the easiest to repair. Most homeowners only require a bottle of lacquer nail polish in the same shade as the tile. Even shallow chips are fixable with this inexpensive technique. Nail polish offers the same shiny appearance as the rest of the tile. It is inexpensive and there hundreds of shades available to match to the tile surface.
Clean the scratched tile with soap and water to remove any dirt. Allow the ceramic to dry completely, as water is absorbed into the scratched part. Apply a thin layer of nail polish along the scratch. Allow it to dry. If the tile underneath is still visible, or the nail polish coat looks a little sunken, apply another coat.
Chips in the Tile
A chipped tile requires more than a cosmetic fix. Homeowners need to fill in the gouge with a similar material, before painting over it. Tools for the job are easy to find in any hardware store. They include tile epoxy, a small brush and paint.
Thoroughly clean the chipped area of tile. If the chip is still intact, it may be reusable. Clean the tile and chip and allow both to dry completely. Following the instructions on the tile epoxy, use it to fill in the chipped hole in the tile. If the chip is intact, simply daub a small amount of epoxy on the chip and in the hole. Then, put the chip back in place. Wipe away any excess amount of epoxy. Allow the epoxy to set and harden. Paint over it with a layer of paint that matches the tile shade. Homeowners may want to use nail polish instead to avoid excess remaining paint.
Broken Tiles
A broken tile is unstable and should be replaced with a new one. This job takes more time and effort, but the reward is restored beauty to a bathroom or kitchen. The supplies for this job are also available in any hardware store. Hiring a professional for this job may be necessary if there are problems with the subfloor. Homeowners need tile grout, trowel, a matching replacement tile, spacers, hammer and chisel.
Remove the old tile by placing a blanket or towel over it and hitting it with a hammer to break into smaller pieces. Use gentle strikes and take care not to hit the other unbroken tiles. Pick out the broken pieces. Chisel out any stubborn pieces. Use a soft brush or vacuum to remove any remaining dust or chips. Apply a thin layer of grout to the floor. Apply another layer of grout to the back of the replacement tile. Press the replacement tile into place. Use spacers around the edges to space it evenly from other tiles. Allow the grout to set. Use the trowel to spread fresh grout into the space between the new tile and old tiles. Wipe away excess grout with a wet towel. Allow it to dry. Clean again to remove all grout dust.
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very informative just what I was looking for.
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Very informative much easier than referring to yellow pages, etc. Also these work men have been screened which is important. My job is small therefore the costs associated with work seems high.
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I have no comments at this time. I need more information such as costs and time.
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