Tile and Grout Repair
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Today’s Ask Tim question for my guru fix-it hubby Tim involves tile and grout repair:
What can you do when the grout around tile on the wall is cracked and/or the tile is loose? Do you have to replace everything?
Anyway, once you’ve secured a potential replacement tile, break out all the remaining grout around the tile. You can use a small screwdriver and hammer or even a painter’s tool. A super fast way is to use a specialized bit with a Dremmel tool, but you still have to be very careful not to bounce it off the good tiles. You may get lucky in the process and the loose tile will fall off the wall – be ready to catch it! If not, use that painter’s tool or even a 2″ spackling blade and gently pry behind the tile from every direction. It is likely held there with dried tile adhesive in kind of a squiggly pattern. If you haven’t broken the tile, this is the most likely point it will happen…be patient and work gently.
Once the tile is off, you need to get that surface where it was as smooth as possible. Again, some taps with the tool/blade/screwdriver will do the trick. You need it clean for new adhesive, tile, and grout. For one piece of tile, you can use Liquid Nails as the adhesive. Install temporary tile spacers (4), apply the adhesive to the back of the tile, and press on the wall. The rest is just a normal grout job and some clean up!
Sorry for the long links! Hope this helped.
Tim
If you have a question for my handy hubby you can comment on this post, visit my facebook page or email me (envelope looking link on my side bar). We’d love to try and answer your questions. Yes, I said we. Ha!
Here are some more great tips from my DIY hubby:
Tips on Painting Kitchen Cabinets
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My bathroom tiles were a sight for sore eyes: the grout was stained and looked filthy. Sadly I couldn’t afford to replace the grout for the entire bathroom. I found out about Nugrout products and decided to give it a try. I am amazed by how new my bathroom now looks with the new grout color, and how affordable the entire process was. Check out their website at http://www.nugrout.com. I highly recommend them.
Thanks for answering my question!
How about what to do with peeling wallpaper in the bathroom? Should I invest in wallpaper glue or can I just stick it back with Elmer’s?
Same question with linoleum that is peeling up from the edges allowing water to seep to the floorboards underneath. Do I need to yank it up farther and check out the damage or can I just glue it down (and with what should I do this?). Also it’s pretty curled.- suggestions on getting it to lay flat once I apply adhesive?
I’m wondering is Tim has a recommendation for a tile guy (or gal) in Greensboro. We need some regrouting, sealing and fixing done in the master bathroom. Much beyond my DIY skills. Would love to find someone who comes highly recommended to do this work for us. (Entire shower needs regrouting/sealing and we have a few cracked tiles. Otherwise, I’m going to go crazy scrubbing with Clorox stains that won’t go away.
Let me know if Tim didn’t get back to you and you still need a referral. Isn’t there always something that needs fixing? I’d rather decorate than fix any day!
Marty