How To Fix Damaged Bathroom Tiles

A cracked portion of bathroom tiles could give way for many tiles if you don’t fix them. Gradually, the broken tile might affect the base of your shower. That’s how a fractured tile creates moist drywalls, and increase the cost of renovations. Usually, a stitch in time saves nine when you learn to do-it-yourself. You can follow these steps to repair shower tiles, and save some money when they break. Keep in mind that before you commence any renovations at home, you must ensure you have welded wire mesh fencing securing all the leftover rubbish for safety reasons as well as security reasons.

Assess the Damaged Tile

Generally, ceramic tiles are durable and resistant to stains. The first step in fixing tiles is to assess its smooth surface with your fingertips. You might find some hard-to-notice cracks on the adjacent tiles. A break tends to spread, and allow your bath water to soak your bathroom wall. Depending on how your bathroom tiles were installed, vibration might increase the impact along the crack lines. So, it’s easy to remove broken pieces of tiles with a chisel.

Take Out the Grout

Be careful when removing sharp pieces of tiles. This process might require the use of force because of the adhesive (non-cement-based) or cement under these tiles. Wear a pair of hand gloves, and use a grout knife or flat pry bar to remove damaged tiles. You can also use a utility knife to remove a soft grout. Also, don’t spill grout on other tiles while scraping old grout. During the renovation, you can reuse stained or unbroken tiles after washing-off the drywall residue from the tiles with warm water.

Removing Saturated Drywalls

Sometimes, the extent of damage might affect drywall and cause it to be saturated with water. You might need to cut out the drywall or drill several holes through the tile to repair the affected portion. After making a series of cuts through the tile, it will be easy to remove all fasteners and drywall residue. However, you can avoid damages to waterproof membranes, conduit pipes, and insulations in a wall by not drilling too deep into it. To install new drywall, you must inspect the portion for moisture, or moulds. Scrape any residue and apply some bleach reagents before installing new drywall.

Prepping the Wall for New Tiles

You’ll need to install cement board on the cutout of your wall after cleaning the adhesive, and grout residue from old tiles. Usually, masons create a 1/8-inch space to reduce adhesion issues during installation of new tiles. Then test a new tile with the bare spot to see if it aligns well before gluing it. However, if this new tile fails to fit the joint; scrape off the with a putty knife adhesive and let it sits evenly. As flat surfaces for the new or broken tiles, apply thin-set adhesives to the drywall and cement board. You can also use this step to prepare the actual design of your modern bathroom; this might include looking at some indoor garden products to add a fresh vibe to it. 

It’s Time to Install the Replacement Tiles

After you have allowed the cement to dry; apply more cement with a trowel and align the grout joints of the replacement tile into the cement. When using cement adhesive, don’t make them closer to the edge by less than 1/2 inches. Additionally, you wiggle the replacement tiles back and forth before leaving it in a permanent position. Also, ensure that bottom rows of your replacement tiles are not grouted. Apply plenty of water with a sponge to clear excess grout if necessary. Then, allow this installation to cure.

Caulk Your Tile Joint

Use silicone caulk to seal the space between the tile joints. An excellent waterproof sealant for bathroom tiles can close any joints that are not well grouted. Instead of applying latex or acrylic products, use clear silicone caulk because of its durability.