Bathroom Tile Repair

Bathroom tile repair can be very easy or very difficult depending on the problem. Before you begin the repair, spend a little time determining how bad the problem is. Tap and press on the tiles to see how solid they sound and how far the problem spreads. If the wall or floor behind the tile feels mushy, then you have a larger problem than a simple repair will solve and the tile will need to be replaced, along with whatever caused the problem underneath.

Assuming that the problem isn’t major, let’s take a look at a few simple repairs. The first problem many homeowners encounter is the grout. Maybe it is dirty or mildewed and cleaning hasn’t helped. Or it is cracked and missing in places. Fixing this is fairly easy. First, using a putty knife or a flat screwdriver, scrape the old grout, removing as much as possible. Now wash the area to remove loose grout and dust. For repairs, premixed grout paste is the easiest. Simply spread it into the joints you just cleaned and wash it off.

Next, let’s repair any cracked or loose tile. Again using a putty knife, pry up the loose tiles. If the cracked tile isn’t loose, lightly tap it a few times with a hammer to loosen it, or break it into smaller pieces. After prying out the tile, clean the glue off the wall or floor beneath the tile as best you can. Also, scrape any loose grout from the adjoining tiles. Take the largest pieces to a tile store or home store and find the best match you can. Buy the pieces you need along with some glue and grout.

Spread glue to the back of the new tile using the putty knife, and tap the tiles into place. Make sure they sit flush with the adjoining tiles. Allow the tiles to set and the glue to dry before grouting. Wash any glue off the surface of the tile or in the joint before it dries. Now following the instructions above, apply fresh tile grout. You now have a nice new tile repair.