Ceramic and porcelain tiles, whether on the floor or the shower wall, are pretty easy to deal with, should they become damaged. With a few tools and a little time, you'll have your tile looking like new again.
Solution #1: Tile Filler and Paint
To repair cracked tiles, you may do fine with just a little bit of paint. If you can bring a piece of the tile you're fixing into your local hardware store, they should be able to match the color. While you're there, pick up some tile filler as well. Mix the paint with the tile filler, and use a cotton swab to dab it onto the crack in the tile. Let the tile filler and paint mixture dry for a few seconds and then use a wet cloth to wipe off the excess. This may not completely eliminate the crack, but it should make it less visible.
Solution #2: Replacement
If your cracked tile is too damaged to repair or you're just not satisfied with painting over the cracks, you can replace the broken tiles. Here's what you'll need to do the job:
- Hammer
- Chisel and/or awl
- Tile grout
- Grout sealer
- Tile adhesive
- Putty knife
- Work gloves and safety glasses
- Replacement tile
The last item on the list will be the trickiest to find, unless you have some left over from the original installation. If not, try to bring all or part of a loose tile with you to the hardware store to try and find a match. If there are no exact matches to be found, you'll have two options: find something similar or completely retile the room.
TIP: When purchasing replacement tile, get a few extras for future repairs, should they become necessary.
Remove the damaged tile by laying a rag over it and hitting it with a hammer to shatter it. Use the hammer and chisel to carefully remove the tile chips, being careful not to damage the surrounding tile. Then, scrape away the old tile adhesive. You want the floor below to be as clean and smooth as possible. Check the floor below the tile for structural soundness as well. You can solve squeakiness by driving a screw or nail through the exposed floor and into the joists below.
Use a putty knife to spread tile adhesive onto the back of the replacement tile, and press the tile firmly into place. Let the adhesive dry before filling the grout lines (the lines around the tile) with grout. Allow the grout to set for about 15 minutes. Then, wipe away the excess. After giving the tile and grout another 24 hours to dry, you can coat the grout with a clear, waterproof grout sealer.
It's amazing how simply replacing or touching up a few cracked tiles can brighten up a floor or bathroom.