DIY street tile repair

In detail: do-it-yourself street tile repair from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

When starting a bathroom renovation, first assess its general condition. Sometimes you have to resort to capital work to replace water pipes and finishing materials. But if the general condition suits, then cosmetic repairs are required, which in most cases is limited to updating the grouting joints or individual tile elements. The article will give detailed instructions on how to restore broken tiles with your own hands.

There are ceramic tiles in almost every home. She lays out the walls and floors in bathrooms and toilets, as well as floors in the hallway and in the kitchen. If the wall tiles can serve for decades, since they are rarely exposed to mechanical stress, then the floor elements often crack and chips form on them. Even if the damaged area is glued, the crack will still remain noticeable and spoil the overall appearance of the room.

Initially, when laying new tiles, they buy it with a margin and leave it in case of repair work. If this has not been done, or too much time has passed and it has got lost, then you can beat to make a new design by partially replacing a new tile. But in this case, you will have to change not one element, but several at once. But, in any case, it is much less expensive than changing the floor completely.

But it so happens that due to a violation of the technological process during installation, over time, wall tiles also move away.

Nuances that may arise when partially replacing broken tiles:

poor cleaning of old glue will cause an uneven surface;
incorrect consistency of the adhesive composition and a decrease in the strength of the coating;
rough removal of broken tiles, which leads to damage to adjacent elements.

Video (click to play).

Advice: timely preventive maintenance of the tiles will help to avoid repairs, which consists in cleaning the grout joints, especially if signs of mold appear. Floor tiles can be protected with carpets, especially in the countertop area, where glass or ceramic jars of soap or creams are often displayed. When dropped, they are often the cause of the chips.

In most cases, the need to replace grout joints occurs when mold or cracking is found on them. Even the most beautiful and expensive tiles will lose their beauty if the seams are of poor quality.
If the grout is light, then dirt can also spoil its appearance, which will inevitably form in the shower or bath area due to foam and water getting on the walls. It can be easily removed using conventional detergents and a brush.

When these measures are not enough, it is necessary to resort to repair work.

First, all washcloths, cosmetics and interior items are removed, since a lot of dust and dirt will form in the process.
If it did not work out to match the color of the grout exactly with the old one, then you will have to clean all the seams. This is a long and laborious process. It is more convenient to clean it with a knife or any other hard and sharp object.

Tip: there are special compounds on sale, when applied to an old grout, it begins to soften. It is much easier to remove and dust does not form.

Then the entire surface is wiped with a damp cloth to remove dust.
The grout is diluted with water in a small amount to a pasty consistency. Work should be done quickly, as the composition sets quickly, especially when applied to the surface to be repaired.

This is a simple type of work that is easy to do on your own.

repair when cracks or chips form;
replacement of solid tile elements;
repair work of floor tiles;
repair work of wall tiles.

It is not always possible to repair damaged tiles. Even a thin crack will be noticeable and spoil the appearance of the entire cladding. To replace the tiles, you will need the following tools and material: a hammer, chisel, puncher, glue, notched and rubber spatulas, grout.

Before proceeding with the removal of the tile itself, clean the seams around it.
Next, a hole is drilled in the center with a puncher. And from it they begin to carefully remove the tiles in pieces using a chisel and a hammer. The main thing is that the tools do not break off and do not damage the adjacent elements. It is advisable to wear goggles or a protective mask, since when chipped off, the pieces can fly off into the face.

It is most convenient to clean it with a spatula, but if the glue is too hard and you cannot remove it manually, then it is recommended to use a chisel and a hammer. It is very important that you do not accidentally break other tiles.
If there were holes in the repaired area for attaching a shelf, a mirror or a hole for a switch, then they must be transferred to a new tile and pre-drilled. This is done using a special attachment for a screwdriver. At the same time, they drill at low speeds so that a split does not happen.

Then the surface is moistened. The glue is applied to the tile itself and pressed firmly against the wall. The gaps with adjacent tiles must be even and correspond in width to the existing ones. To do this, you do not need to buy a package of special crosses, but use matches.
It is allowed to use liquid nails, silicone sealant or special tile glue as an adhesive.

After a day, the seams are sealed with grout and smoothed with a finger.
If the tiles that are adjacent to the bathtub or shower tray have been restored, then immediately the joints must be sealed with a special putty, which has water-repellent properties. A decorative corner made of plastic or ceramic can be laid on top.

Replacing broken video tiles

If no elements were left from the old tile for repair, and the store could not find a suitable option, then all that remains is to restore the damaged area with your own hands.

Cement milk... It is easy to make, just mix the cement with water in a very liquid consistency. It is applied to the surface of cracks and chips with a sponge. After drying, it remains to mask the repaired area with a suitable color paint or a thin layer of grout.
Epoxy adhesive... If the chip or crack is too large, then more effort will have to be made to repair. First you need to remove the grout around the tiles. Then, using a spatula and a hammer, carefully separate the broken element. All fragments are cleaned of glue and dirt. It is easier to do this if you put them in hot water for several hours. Then it is dried, glued with epoxy glue and left to dry. Then they are glued back to the wall and, after waiting for the composition to grab, rub the seams with grout. Thus, it turns out to hold the tiles together and not be afraid that over time it will fall off the wall. But at the same time its appearance remains unprepossessing. To complete the work, the entire surface must be covered with alabaster, which hardens literally instantly and painted on top with a special waterproof paint for ceramics.

Floor tiles are most susceptible to mechanical damage, so more often there is a need for repair. All work begins with the removal of grout around the problem area.
To remove the tiles, first a hole is made in the center using a punch or a screwdriver with a special nozzle for ceramics. If there are no such tools, then you can simply strike with a chisel and a hammer and remove the resulting fragments.

Before starting any further repairs, it is important to properly prepare the coating for tile replacement. Chipping off all large pieces, begin to clean out all the irregularities that have formed from the old adhesive composition. Then all the dust is vacuumed and wiped with a damp cloth.
Since the tiles are laid on the floor in rooms with high humidity, the waterproofing layer could be damaged after removing the old coating. So, the first step is to coat the cleaned area with a primer or any other liquid waterproofing.
Then everything is done as usual, glue is applied with a notched trowel and the tiles are laid flush with the entire surface. The size of the seams is also very precisely measured. You must not step on the repaired area during the day.
In conclusion, the seams are rubbed with grout.

Due to the pattern, small cracks may not be so obvious, so it makes sense to try glue them... To do this, carefully separate the tiles from the wall. To pick up the edge, you need to remove the grout. In addition, the grouting joint additionally fixes the element and makes it difficult to separate it from the wall. With a knife, carefully clean off the remnants of the glue, and wash it. Then they are glued together with epoxy glue and tied up to firmly fix for the time of setting. The repaired tiles are attached back to the wall.
If it didn't work out nicely and the seam remained noticeable, or there is a more obvious defect in the form of a chip, then it will come to the rescue color photo printing... In this case, you just need to pick up the tile of the right size in the store and bring it and the broken tile to any store where they make photo prints on a mug, clothes, etc. The designer will transfer the drawing to the computer and restore it, after which it will be applied to the tiles. Thus, an inexpensive but high-quality repair will be obtained that does not require replacement of the artistic cladding.

In addition to photo printing, you can use self-adhesive film... The glued tile is treated with sandpaper to increase adhesion, wipe and glue the film, smoothing it with rubber plastic for a tighter fit. Modern films are not only moisture resistant, but also resistant to chemical components. They can be washed with cleaning sponges. In addition, this film is sold in a huge range of designs.
You can do it even easier, but whether such a repair method will be different in durability. A chip or crack is filled and leveled with grout, and glued on top decorative film sticker.

Even if the area to be repaired is small, you still cannot do without special tile glue. There are several types of them, consider the main differences and characteristics.

cement glue... The most common today. This is due to its low price and versatility. It has good adhesive properties, and due to its consistency, it is allowed to work even on uneven surfaces;
epoxy adhesive. Having a two-component base, it makes it possible to adhere tiles to plastic, wood, metal and a number of other surfaces. Available as a paste or liquid. For fixing 1 - 2 tiles, the most preferable option;
dispersion adhesive... It can be used to glue tiles directly to drywall, without additional surface treatment with concrete contact. The glue is based on various resins and acrylics. It goes on sale in a ready-to-use form.

Tile adhesives differ in their bonding properties and are classified into porcelain stoneware, standard ceramic tiles and mosaics. But regardless of its characteristics, the composition must contain latex components and quartz sand.

For small and light mosaic tiles polymer or cement glue is suitable. In addition, there is a special mosaic glue.
Porcelain stoneware not only a heavy material, but also possessing very high moisture-resistant qualities. Therefore, to fix it, a special glue is used, on the packaging of which it is written that it is suitable for porcelain stoneware. It has increased adhesiveness and elasticity.
Universal adhesive good in that it is equally suitable for work both indoors and outdoors. But only suitable for standard tiles 20 x 30 cm or mosaics, as it is not able to withstand heavy loads.

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Excessive pavement loads, severe weather conditions, floods and other factors lead to damage to tiles and foundations.

From this article, you will learn how to determine the causes of sidewalk damage and learn how to eliminate the consequences.

Dismantling of paving slabs

Damage to the sidewalk that requires repairs includes:

destruction of paving elements;
subsidence of the base or soil;
subsidence or loss of borders.

Destruction of paving elements (paving slabs, paving stones, clinker or ceramic tiles, porcelain stoneware and natural or wild stone) occurs due to excess load on them, weakening of the base and sudden temperature changes.

Paving slabs 3-4 cm thick are designed for pedestrians. If you run cars and trucks on it, the wear of the tiles will increase, then it will be covered with cracks and fall apart into 2-5 pieces.

When the base is weakened (washed out sand, gravel or soil due to poor drainage or too much water), the tile sags. Individual elements are cracked. Sharp temperature changes (from plus 5 to minus 10 and vice versa) lead to an increase in tile and base freeze cycles. As a result, the water absorbed by the material freezes, expands and destroys the tiles.

Water that has been absorbed by the underlying layers or soil leads to heaving of the soil and base. As a result, voids are formed, into which the upper underlying layers fall over time. This causes the tiles to sink.

Subsidence and loss of the curb occurs both as a result of improper installation and as a result of mechanical stress. The rigidity and strength of the curb installation depends on the concrete pad, sub-layers and external soil. When soil under the pillow or outside the curb is sagging or softening due to the large amount of water, the lateral load on the curb will cause it to roll over. Therefore, a wheel resting on a curb or a car driving over it will damage the structure of the sidewalk.

Sidewalk repair is divided into the following types of work:

fencing of the work site;
replacement (reinstallation) of the curb;
replacement of individual tiles or the entire blind area;
repair of the upper subbase;
repair, replacement or cleaning of drainage systems;
replacement (overhaul) of sidewalk sections.

Let's consider each step of how to repair paving slabs.

Work site fencing

Before any work on the repair of paving slabs with your own hands, it is necessary to protect the place of work. For this, portable plastic or wooden barriers are used. Also, the repaired area is fenced off with a special tape, which is pulled over iron pins driven into the ground. If the repair is delayed more than a day, it is necessary to provide illumination of the repaired area at night and place red signal lights around the perimeter.

Dig in the curb from the outside to a width of 40-50 cm and to a sufficient depth to sink 5-10 cm below the concrete pad. Turn the curb out with a crowbar and remove it from the trench. Remove soil and sand. If possible, knock down the concrete without damaging the curbstone, if not possible, purchase a new curb.Remove the tiles 30-50 cm wide, then remove some of the crushed stone and sand of the base to eliminate the pit from the excavated concrete pad.

Install a new curb, line it up and pour concrete at least a quarter of the curb height. The next day, fill the ditch evenly from the curb. Fill the inside with rubble, outside with soil that was removed during the preparatory work.

Compact soil and gravel with an electric rammer or vibratory plate. Pour with water (2-3 liters per square meter) and seal again after half an hour. From the inside, fill up the sand to the level of the tiles, compact and install the tiles. Restore the ground level outside. After a month, the soil will sag outside, add it to the required level and compact.

To replace individual damaged concrete tiles, concrete and stone paving stones, drive a pry bar into the joint between the damaged and the whole tile, place a wooden block under it (so as not to damage the whole tile) and turn out the damaged one. Then clean the walls of adjacent tiles, smooth out the sand layer and install new tiles. If it lays down normally, does not wobble and matches the height, remove it and sprinkle it with a thin (0.2-0.5 mm) layer of cement and lay the tiles in place. Then cover the joints with a mixture of sand and cement.

To replace ceramic (clinker) tiles, porcelain stoneware or polymer concrete, use a hand or electric chisel to remove the damaged tile and clean the seat of the remaining mortar or glue. Estimate the thickness of the adhesive on adjacent tiles, apply a layer of adhesive 1.5-2 mm thick on the repair tile, put it in place and press down. Match the level of the repair tile and those adjacent to it. Use a damp cloth to wipe off any excess adhesive.

To repair the upper sub-base, remove the tiles in an area that is 2-3 meters larger than the damage. Fold the tiles nearby. Peel off the top bedding layer and lay it side by side. Examine the rubble layer. If there is also a failure in the rubble, more serious work is needed (read below about replacing individual sections of the curb). If the crushed stone layer does not show any signs of failure, replace the sand of the upper sub-base, then add sand to ensure that the levels match.

Clean and replace the tiles. If adjacent tiles are laid on a mixture of sand and cement, sprinkle the sand with cement (layer thickness 0.2-0.5 mm) before laying the tiles. Mix sand and cement in equal proportions and fill the gaps between the beverages with the mixture. Drizzle with water.

Use a plumbing cable to clean drainage systems. If the collector is clogged with sand, silt, or branches, contact the company that flushes the sewers. They flush the pipes with special equipment that produces a stream of water under pressure of tens and hundreds of atmospheres. Check all storm water inlets. Make sure the grates are in place, not broken or clogged. Clean or replace if necessary.

Pavement sections are replaced after a water supply or sewerage breakthrough, local subsidence or repeated heaving of the soil. If only the base is damaged, and the tile is intact, it is removed and laid nearby. After that, all layers of the base are removed with an excavator. The size of the area to be repaired must exceed the size of the damage by at least 3 meters in each direction.

After removing the base material, the resulting pit is covered with geotextile and poured with concrete. The concrete level is 1-2 cm below the level of the upper sub-base. After 5 days, the concrete is covered with sand and the removed tiles are laid on top. The repaired site will acquire a full fortress in 28 days.

Pavement damage occurs as a result of installation errors, improper use, or other factors. Now you know why this or that damage occurs, and you know how to eliminate their consequences.This will help you repair the sidewalk and prevent further deterioration.

We explain step by step how to fix ceramic tiles and make them shine. For information on how to do this, as well as what materials and tools are required, see our guide - DIY tile repair.

Indeed, in everyday life, tiles can not only get dirty quickly, but also get damaged. And no matter where it is laid, it can be a bathroom or a kitchen, such situations are real everywhere.

The damage is often so small that replacing the tiles is not necessary. Well, if you have a tile set aside in case of renovation, it will make the renovation even better.

Clean damaged areas thoroughly before repairing tiles. To do this, apply the tile cleaner with a sponge or cloth according to the manufacturer's instructions. After cleaning, check that the defects to be repaired are dry and free from dirt, grease and dust.

Apply paint tape around the damaged tile, this will protect the entire tiles from all kinds of dirt and damage.

Repair cracks and other damage to the tiles using a special repair adhesive with 2-component epoxy resin. The tip of the spray gun is held directly on the damaged surface and the adhesive is carefully pushed into the gap. Apply glue thinly and then model with a plastic spatula.

Let the glue dry and cure thoroughly. This can take up to 2 hours. - Please also note the manufacturer's data. Then you can carefully remove the masking tape.

If the filling material dries out, the repaired area should be leveled. To do this, sand it carefully with fine sandpaper. Be careful not to damage the surface of the tile itself.

Now paint the cured glue with tile paint to the desired color, follow the manufacturer's instructions. The desired shade can be obtained by mixing the base coat with the selected paint color. Let the varnish dry for about 2 hours, if necessary, walk the varnish several times to achieve full opacity.

For more damage, you must replace the bad tile. To do this, remove the grout around the tile using the handy tools and then punch a hole in the center of the tile. To prevent pressure from transferring to adjacent tiles, you must ensure that the joints around the tiles are completely and deeply cleaned. Then remove the tile using a hammer and chisel (or other tools at hand), clean the backing, apply dispersion glue and insert a new tile.

This is how do-it-yourself tile repair is done. And if you just need to replace the tile seams, you can read - here on our website there is a complete instruction.

There may always be a moment when repair and replacement of paving slabs will be needed on a refined suburban area. This is due to both natural wear and tear and careless handling and exposure to chemically active substances. In fact, paving slabs can be damaged and crumbled from a variety of factors. However, any garden path or area can be restored by replacing items such as paving slabs, buy which we offer with us.

Signs of the need to repair paving slabs

The moment of the need to repair or replace elements of garden paths and areas lined with paving slabs, of course, is chosen by the owner himself. It depends, among other things, on his aesthetic delights. Whether he agrees to put up with the current state of the paving slabs, only he chooses. The following signs can be distinguished that the repair or replacement of paving slabs is already necessary:

· The appearance of large chips and cracks on the surface of the paving slabs;

· Falling out of individual tiles from the surface of the site;

· Formation of puddles on the surface of the tiles;

· Expansion of joints between individual tiles;

· Failure of the soil under the tiles;

· Significant external wear.

DIY paving slab repair

Like many types of repairs, when it comes to the repair of paving slabs, there are two types of it: current and major. Of course, current repairs involve partial wear of the paving slabs area, where cracks or breaks in individual slabs are fixed. Also, if in some areas grass has grown from the seams between the tiles, and it must be removed by sorting through them, then this is also a current repair.

If cracks appear on individual tiles, you can use a special polymer adhesive. This special tool holds the broken pieces of the tile together so that after that the cracks are not even visible. Otherwise, when a large number of tiles have received cracks, it is better to replace this area. In this case, you will need to take care that you have in stock a certain number of tiles of the same shape and color.

Replacing paving slabs with your own hands

Replacing paving slabs on a garden path or site involves dismantling it. For this procedure, you will need a specific tool: a hammer, rubber mallet, spatula, slotted screwdriver, and tools at hand to create the lever.

Dismantling starts with gripping the end face of the first tile. It is necessary to push one end of the tile through the seam with a slotted screwdriver. This will raise the tile by itself. After that, you need to move to the other edge of the tile. So, lifting one centimeter on each side, you will be able to completely remove the tile.