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If ane or more of your floor or counter tiles have croaky—whether from regular wear and tear or from having a heavy object dropped on them—you don't necessarily need to replace the cracked tile. If replacing a tile isn't in your upkeep, or if the tile isn't badly damaged, you lot tin can repair the tile. If the tile merely has a sparse hairline fissure in it, you can fill up it with an epoxy. Or, for a more than DIY option, try using wood glue and boom polish. If the tile is likewise badly cracked to repair it, y'all can just replace the damaged tile.

  1. 1

    Buy a 2-function epoxy kit at a local hardware store. Epoxy is, essentially, a hardening mixture that you can employ to "mucilage" together the 2 pieces of your cracked tile. While there are i-part epoxy kits, the 2-function multifariousness is higher quality and will agree your cracked tile together for longer.[i] Check at your local hardware shop and, if they don't sell epoxy, try a domicile-improvement store.

    • Adept-quality 2-role epoxy kits sell for effectually $35–40 USD.

  2. 2

    Clean the cracked tile with newspaper towels and rubbing booze. Pour a picayune rubbing alcohol onto one or two sheets of paper towel. Wipe the damp paper towel over the surface of the cracked tile until it'south clean. Cleaning the cracked tile will remove whatsoever dust and grime and ensure that the epoxy sticks to the surface of the tile itself.[2]

    • Both of these products are sold at every grocery store and drugstore.

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  3. 3

    Mix together the epoxy on peak of a spare sheet of cardboard. Use a popsicle stick to scrape out virtually 2 tablespoons (43 g) of epoxy mixture from each of the 2 bottles onto a sheet of paper-thin. Stir the 2 parts of the epoxy together until they're fully blended. This will commencement a chemical reaction that hardens the epoxy.[3]

    • If you don't have extra cardboard lying around, yous could also mix the epoxy on top of a strip of wax paper or scrap wood.

  4. four

    Smear the mixed epoxy along the hairline fracture in the tile. Take your popsicle stick and scoop up well-nigh half of the mixed epoxy. Transfer the epoxy to the tile and carefully spread a thin layer of epoxy along the entire length of the crack. The liquid will slowly seep downwardly into the fissure before it hardens. Make certain that you've likewise covered about one⁄2 centimetre (0.20 in) on either side of the crack with epoxy, too. Piece of work fast, as the epoxy dries quickly.[4]

    • Try not to get the epoxy over the residuum of the united nations-cracked surface of the tile.

  5. 5

    Await 5–10 minutes for the epoxy to dry out. The epoxy should exist fully dry in less than 15 minutes. To come across if the epoxy is dry, try tapping it with the tip of 1 finger. When it's fully dry, the epoxy volition exist business firm to the bear on. Your finger volition too come away with no traces of epoxy goo stuck to it.[5]

    • While the epoxy is drying, don't touch it or set annihilation on top of it. As well keep any pets and children in your habitation away from the tile.

  6. 6

    Cutting abroad backlog dried epoxy from around the crack. Use the precipitous edge of a razor bract to scrape away whatsoever stray epoxy that got onto the tile. To clean off the epoxy, hold the bract at a 45-degree angle confronting the surface of the tile. Slide nether excess epoxy to remove information technology.[6]

    • Be careful while y'all're cutting epoxy with the razor blade. Razors are extremely sharp, and yous could easily cutting yourself if the bract slips.

  7. 7

    Tint the epoxy to match the colour of your tile. You tin buy a pulverisation dye (specifically made to dye epoxy) from any craft or hobby store. Mix the tinted powders (e.g., brownish, gray, black) together until you create a color that matches your tiles. Following the manufacturer'southward directions, apply the dye powder to the epoxy until the location of the repaired crack is no longer visible.[seven]

    • This stride is optional. If you detect that the epoxy is already shut to the color of your tiles, you may choose to get out information technology undyed.

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  1. 1

    Apply a sparse layer of wood glue over the widest function of the crack. This method works well for cracks that are larger than minor hairline cracks. Squeeze out a dollop of wood glue onto the crack on your tile. Employ your finger or a chopstick to smear the wood gum lengthwise across any parts of the crack larger than 1 millimetre (0.039 in) beyond. Look about 10 minutes for the glue to dry out.[8]

    • Woods glue will expand and contract without losing its adhesion to the tile. This strengthens your repair and ensures that the repair chore will last.

  2. 2

    Paint a thin layer of fingernail polish along the crack. Use the pocket-sized castor that comes with the nail smoothen to draw the liquid smoothen out of the metal jar and onto the surface of the tile. Smear the smoothen along the crack in your tile until the unabridged crack is covered. Too cover 1–2 millimetres (0.039–0.079 in) on either side of the crack to make sure that it seals.[nine]

    • This method of repairing tile will just work on tiles that have a glazed stop, not porous tiles.
    • Information technology'southward best to use a shade of boom polish that matches the surface of your tiles. For example, if you have light beige tiles, cull a light beige shade of nail polish.
    • In some cases, if y'all can't find a shade of shine that matches your tile exactly, you may need to mix together 2 carve up shades to create a matching shine.

  3. 3

    Wait 10 minutes for the fingernail smoothen to dry. The nail polish needs to fully dry out before you finish repairing the cracked tile.[10] To see if the boom polish is dry afterwards 10 minutes, lightly tap information technology with a finger. If your finger comes away dry and the nail polish doesn't have the image of your fingerprint on it, the polish is dry.

    • If the nail polish is still clammy afterward 10 minutes, await an additional five minutes.

  4. 4

    Remove any excess nail fingernail polish with nail polish remover. It's piece of cake to accidentally get too much boom polish on the surface of the tile. To remove it, only cascade a fiddling bit of boom smoothen remove onto a gauze cotton swab. Smear the cotton wool swab across the backlog nail polish five–half dozen times to remove it.[eleven]

    • If the excess nail polish doesn't come up off on the first try, use another cotton swab and more blast smoothen remover and endeavour again.

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  1. 1

    Drill 3–four pocket-size holes in the tile to weaken information technology for removal. Hold a power drill vertically in a higher place the cleaved tile so the chip will go direct down into the tile. Squeeze the trigger to first the drill, and drill a few holes to weaken the tile. The holes should exist in a straight line in the center of the tile, going either horizontally or vertically across the tile face.[12]

    • If the drill kicks upward pocket-sized pieces of tile or creates dust, clean up subsequently yourself with a dustpan and broom.

  2. 2

    Flake apart and remove the tile with a hammer and chisel. [xiii] Place the blade of a chisel along the line of holes that y'all drilled in the tile. Tap on the butt end of the chisel with a hammer until the blade breaks through the tile. Tilt the chisel at a 45-degree angle and go on borer information technology along so that information technology breaks all of the damaged tile away from the surface below it.[xiv]

    • Hammer with enough power to scissure the tile but not and then much strength that you impairment the wood below the tile. Also be conscientious not to damage whatever of the adjacent tiles!
    • Once you've removed the tile, throw it in the trash and sweep up the area.

  3. 3

    Scrape off any grout or mortar that remain beneath the tile. [15] Grout is a tough, pasty material and will most likely have adhered to the wood nether the tile. Concur the blade of the chisel at an astute twenty-caste bending (relative to the floor) and slide information technology along the infinite where yous just pulled the tile out. Scrape until you've removed all of the grout.[16]

    • Throw the grout abroad in a trashcan that children and pets don't have access to (so they can't eat it).

  4. four

    Find or purchase a new tile to replace the damaged tile yous removed. Ideally, you'll have a spare tile or 2 left over from when the tile flooring or counter was installed. If that's not the instance, have a picture of the tile you're looking to replace. Bring it with yous to a nearby domicile-improvement store or tile specialty store. Await for a tile that matches the tiles in your dwelling as closely as possible.[17]

    • The sales staff will as well be able to help you find a matching style of tile.

  5. v

    Employ mortar to the base of a replacement tile. [18] Put on a pair of latex gloves earlier you start working with mortar. Purchase a small-scale tub of mortar and a putty pocketknife from a local hardware store. Utilise the bract of the putty knife to scoop up a dollop of mortar and spread it evenly across the bottom side of the tile. When fully spread, the mortar should exist virtually 1⁄viii inch (0.32 cm) thick.[nineteen]

    • Be conscientious not to become mortar on any of the other tiles. It's hard to remove!

  6. 6

    Set the new tile in identify and apply gentle pressure level. Hold the tile so that it's centered over the hole that you removed the original tile from. Set the tile in the hole and press down lightly to seat the tile in place.[twenty]

    • If y'all apply too much pressure, backlog mortar will be pressed out from beneath the tile and come up on its sides.

  7. 7

    Use grout around the new tile using a grout bladder. Spread a small dollop of grout onto the bottom of a grout bladder. Run the grout float across the surface of the newly installed tile. Continue to utilize grout on and around the tile until the small one⁄4 inch (0.64 cm) gaps on all 4 sides of the tile are completely filled in.[21]

    • A grout float is a big, apartment tool with a handle that you can use to spread grout around. You tin purchase 1 at a hardware store or dwelling-improvement store.
    • Brand sure to apply a colour of grout that matches the existing grout that surrounds other tiles!

  8. viii

    Wipe the tiles make clean with a clammy rag. [22] Before the grout dries, dampen a rag or sometime washcloth and use information technology to rub the new tile (and any other grout-covered tiles) clean. Brand certain to leave the grout in the gaps surrounding the new tile undisturbed. Let the grout dry overnight, and your tile surface will be ready for use![23]

    • If yous forget to make clean off the tiles for a few hours, removing the grout volition exist a much harder job!

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Add New Question

  • Question

    Can I easily replace a cracked tile?

    Art Fricke

    Art Fricke
    Domicile Renovation & Repair Specialist

    Art Fricke is a home renovation and repair specialist and the owner of Fine art Tile & Renovation based in Austin, Texas. With over 10 years of experience, he specializes in bath and kitchen renovations. Fine art focuses on a single contractor approach to customized renovation piece of work, and performs projects such equally installing custom tile showers, fixing tiled shower leaks, replacing cracked tiles, and installing floor and wall tile.

    Art Fricke

    Home Renovation & Repair Specialist

    Expert Answer

    You normally tin! Just scrape out the grout around the tile and apply a hammer and chisel to pause the one-time 1 out. After that, you tin can apply mortar to the new tile and printing it into place. Don't forget to make full in the gap with new grout.

  • Question

    Do y'all put mortar on the back of a tile?

    Art Fricke

    Art Fricke
    Home Renovation & Repair Specialist

    Fine art Fricke is a domicile renovation and repair specialist and the owner of Art Tile & Renovation based in Austin, Texas. With over 10 years of feel, he specializes in bathroom and kitchen renovations. Art focuses on a single contractor approach to customized renovation piece of work, and performs projects such as installing custom tile showers, fixing tiled shower leaks, replacing cracked tiles, and installing flooring and wall tile.

    Art Fricke

    Home Renovation & Repair Specialist

    Skillful Answer

    Yeah! When you're ready to lay the tile, scoop out a dollop of mortar and swipe it onto the back of the tile before placing it down on the flooring.

  • Question

    Can you lay new tile over old mortar?

    Art Fricke

    Fine art Fricke
    Home Renovation & Repair Specialist

    Art Fricke is a home renovation and repair specialist and the owner of Fine art Tile & Renovation based in Austin, Texas. With over 10 years of experience, he specializes in bathroom and kitchen renovations. Fine art focuses on a single contractor arroyo to customized renovation work, and performs projects such as installing custom tile showers, fixing tiled shower leaks, replacing croaky tiles, and installing floor and wall tile.

    Art Fricke

    Dwelling Renovation & Repair Specialist

    Skillful Reply

    No. Before you lay down new tile, scrape up the former mortar to fix the area. Otherwise, your floor may be uneven.

  • Question

    Tin you remove one broken tile?

    Art Fricke

    Art Fricke
    Home Renovation & Repair Specialist

    Art Fricke is a home renovation and repair specialist and the owner of Art Tile & Renovation based in Austin, Texas. With over x years of experience, he specializes in bathroom and kitchen renovations. Art focuses on a single contractor approach to customized renovation work, and performs projects such equally installing custom tile showers, fixing tiled shower leaks, replacing cracked tiles, and installing floor and wall tile.

    Art Fricke

    Dwelling Renovation & Repair Specialist

    Proficient Answer

    Yes! Just chip apart the old tile y'all want to remove. Then, pry upwardly the pieces using a hammer and chisel.

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Things You'll Need

  • ii-part epoxy kit
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Newspaper towels
  • Popsicle stick
  • Cardboard canvass
  • Razor blade
  • Wood gum
  • Chop stick
  • Fingernail polish
  • Nail smooth remover
  • Cotton swab
  • Drill
  • Drill bit
  • Dustpan and broom
  • Hammer
  • Chisel
  • Replacement tile
  • Mortar
  • Putty knife
  • Latex gloves
  • Grout
  • Grout float
  • Rag

  • Be aware that, although repairing a cracked tile is a quick and piece of cake method, it's only a temporary solution. The tile will likely crack once again. Replacing the tile—although information technology'due south more expensive and time-consuming—is a longer-lasting ready whether the tile is located in your flooring, bath, or pool.

  • If you'd rather not apply an epoxy to patch upwards your cracked tile, many hardware stores and abode-comeback stores also sell fast-hardening tile filler.[24]

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References

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