Partial renovation of ceramic tiles on the floor. Repair of ceramic tile floors. Restoration without removal: work procedure

Sometimes a situation may arise when you need to replace a damaged tile or even an entire section of a tiled floor. Such cases are possible if, for example, the installation of the floor tiles was incorrectly performed, low-quality materials were used during installation, or the tiles on the floor were subjected to any mechanical stress, which led to the destruction of individual tiles. Finally, tiles can simply wear out and lose their aesthetic appearance.

In any case, there is nothing wrong with that. To put in order the tiled floor does not require major repairs with a large investment of effort, money and patience. It is enough just to replace it with new tiles that have become unusable, and you can do it yourself. However, in order not to repeat such operations in the future, due to unintentional mistakes, this must be done efficiently.

Preparing for the repair of a tile floor

Before you start repairing your tile floor yourself, carefully study this issue from the point of view of the available modern materials and technology, as well as your ability to own the necessary tools and skills in different types work on home renovation... As for the tool, there is an alternative to interchangeability (for example, if you do not have a tile cutter, you can use a glass cutter or just a sharp nail), and skills can be acquired by practicing on suitable areas of the floor with materials from production waste.

Situation assessment

First of all, you need to assess the condition of the tiled floor, your desires and capabilities in the proposed order:

1. Damage nature:
   chips and scratches on the tile surface or in the corners;
   peeled off tiles;
   destruction (unattractive appearance or strong pollution) of the tile joint (grout);
   destruction (violation of the integrity) of the tile;
   
2. Damage degree:
   small, medium or deep scratches or chips;
   damage that may result in peeling off adjacent tiles;
   no damage (cosmetic replacement of the joint or tile color).
3. The size of the damaged area (the number of faulty tiles):
   one tile;
   several tiles;
   tile joint (grout) near one or more tiles;
   complete or partial cosmetic replacement of the joint or tile color.
4. Necessary repairs:
   repairing a scratch or chipping of an individual tile;
   joint repair (grout replacement);
   replacement of tiles;
   cosmetic replacement of the color of the joint or tile;
   repair of the floor in the bathroom, kitchen or other room (all have their own characteristics);
   repair of tiles on warm floors, on wooden floor (technology may also differ).
5. Available repair resources:
   there is required amount replacement tiles (always try to purchase tiles with a margin, for such cases);
   insufficient number of tiles for replacement (it will be necessary to clarify what the current price for a tile is and purchase, taking into account the point above, its additional quantity);
   tile for replacement is not available (think over the question design solution to use a different texture or purchase the same tile, if there is one on sale, taking into account the required size of the tile);
   the required texture of the tile for replacement is not on sale (if you try very hard and the amount for replacement is small, then you can carefully remove the tile from the areas under furniture or in other places out of sight, and replace it there with a suitable size).

Required tools and materials

So that self-repair of a tile floor, in addition to resources, does not take away your additional efforts, prepare everything you need in advance in accordance with the following list:

• the required amount of tiles, corresponding to the texture;
• cement;
• water;
• containers for preparing the necessary mixtures;
• construction mixer or drill with a special attachment for mixing solutions of mixtures (or a regular rail for mixing a small amount of compounds);
• special tile adhesive or liquid nails;
• grout, primer and antiseptic;
• if necessary, paint for tiles;
• if sealing is intended, silicone sealant;
• a set of crosses or SVP (tile alignment system);
• the required size metal and rubber spatulas, trowel;
• tape measure, iron ruler, pencil and building level;
• puncher;
• grinder or jigsaw for cutting tiles;
• hammer;
• chisel, chisel, chisel and special drill bits for removing tiles;
• devices for cutting tiles (glass cutter or tile cutter, grinder or jigsaw);
• a tool for removing old grout from tile joints (for more details, see the repair of tile joints section);
• safety glasses and gloves.

Here is the maximum list of materials and tools for working with tiles when repairing a tile floor. However, the list must be adjusted, taking into account the volume and type of work to be done, as well as the existing skills in handling various tools, the availability of the tools themselves and the possibility of their interchangeability.

Tiled floor repair works

Repair of chips and scratches

In order to eliminate a tile defect such as a chip or scratch, follow these steps:

1. Prepare a mortar of cement and water (use a prepared container and a mixer for mixing the mixture) for which:
   use only room temperature water;
   keep the temperature in the room where the work is carried out within 18-25 ° С;
   pouring cement into a container with water, stir the mixture with a prepared device (so that no lumps form in the mixture, in no case do not pour water into the cement, but pour the cement into the water);
   Check the desired consistency of the mixture with a trowel or spatula (the mixture should not drain from the trowel, but be plastic and hold on to it).
2. Rub the solution into a crack or chip using a small soft cloth.
3. Wait for the solution to dry and evaluate the result.
4. If the crack or chip is not completely filled, repeat the operation.
5. Remove excess mixture from the tile surface.
6. After reaching full filling of the crack or chip with the mixture, carefully apply paint to a completely dry area of \u200b\u200bdamage of the corresponding color (try to avoid getting paint on the undamaged tile surface, otherwise the repair site will be visible).

Bonding peeled tiles

If the tile just peeled off, but remained intact, then return it to the required state by following the following steps in sequence:

1. Using a chisel and an iron spatula (or other suitable tool), free the peeling tile from the cladding at the edges and clean the seams (proceed carefully, being careful not to damage the adjacent tiles, the technology is described in detail in the repair of tile joints section).
2. Pry with a suitable tool and remove the loose tiles.
3. Clean the inner surface of the removed tile from the remnants of the old solution (use a spatula and a chisel, after soaking the remnants of the old solution in water).
4. Make a 1 mm thick screed on the repaired floor area that has been cleaned from the old mortar and grout.
5. Degrease and prime the surface (you can additionally treat the surface with an antiseptic).
6. Moisten the tile with water (if using a non-cement base, leave the tile and floor surfaces dry).
7. Apply the tile adhesive prepared according to the instructions on the package to the inner surface of the tile (the adhesive layer is selected taking into account the alignment with the overall level of the floor surface) using a notched trowel.
8. Carefully push the adhesive back into place and press firmly to distribute the adhesive evenly under the tile.
9. Check the flatness of the resulting surface with a building level.
10. Remove excess adhesive around the perimeter of the tile to be glued.
11. Fix the tile gaps with crosses or SVPs.
12. After 5 hours, remove the fixing plastic crosses (or SVP) from the tile joints.
13. After the cladding is completely dry (from 1 to 3 days), fill the gaps between the tiles with grout prepared according to the instructions on the package (the process will be described in more detail below in the section on repairing tile joints);
14. If the tile has been changed in the bathroom or in a room where sealing of the joints is necessary, then use a silicone sealant for this. The sealant will protect the tile and tile seam from moisture penetration, which can harm them. In addition, the sealant is also used to seal the gaps between the tile and the bathroom or other plumbing.

If it is necessary to glue the areas adjacent to the tile floor to be glued, the steps are repeated.

Replacement of worn-out tiles

In many ways, the process of replacing a deteriorated tile with a new one, repeats the above described when re-gluing unsticked tiles. Therefore, in this part, we will consider only those actions that were not described earlier. This action will be the removal of damaged tiles. To do this correctly, use the following tips:

1. Do not remove old tiles from the ends, otherwise you risk damaging the neighboring ones.
2. In order to safely remove the one that requires replacement for adjacent tiles, it is advisable to break the tile through the fabric with a hammer in its central part.
3. From the center of the tile to its edge, slowly, in small fragments, using a chisel (chisel) and a hammer, continue further destruction of the tile.
4. Apply blows to the surface of the tile with a chisel or chisel edge from above, and not obliquely.
5. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove any remaining fine particles and cement dust.

Repair or replacement of the tile joint

Poor-quality material for grouting the joints between tiles, violation of the technology for applying grouting or preparing the mixture, as well as mechanical influences on the inter-tile filling lead to its resolution. In addition, in rooms with high humidity on the seams, dark spots mold.

To correct such flaws, you can partially or completely replace the old grout with a new one. To do this, follow these steps in order:

1. Remove old grout. Proceed very carefully and carefully so as not to damage the entire tile. Work with extreme caution in the corners of the tiles. The corners of the tile are very sensitive to mechanical stress and can chip. To remove use:
   a special tool - a seam opener (walk along the seam, directing the blade straight and at an angle on both sides) or;
   any sharpened tool, using it in the same way as a seam opener (spatula, awl, screwdriver, chisel, knife, etc.) or;
   scraper (electric or manual);
   if the putty is very old and firmly adheres between the tiles, a drill with a drill corresponding in thickness (smaller in diameter than the distance between the tiles), a dremel with a special attachment (engraver, bur-machine, mini-drill, etc.) grinding machines), electric chisel or grinder.
   In addition, there are non-mechanical methods:
   a solution of vinegar and water, in a ratio of 1: 2 - used to soften the seams (applied with a soft cloth for at least 20 minutes);
   citric acid solution to remove latex or cement mix;
   a special solvent for removing the epoxy mixture (read the instructions for its use very carefully so as not to damage the surface of the tile).
2. Vacuum the seams of dust and small particles.
3. Treat the cleaned inter-tile space with an antiseptic.
4. Prepare the grout mixture (mix the grout in the proportions and according to the technology contained in the instructions for use on the grout package).
5. Moisten the seams with a little water (use a spray bottle or regular paint brush).
6. Through rubber spatula fill the inter-tile space with grout.
7. Remove excess mixture from the tile surface using the same rubber trowel and sponge (or soft cloth).
8. Remove unevenness in the seams with a sponge (soft cloth or rayon cloth) dipped in water.
9. Wait until the grout is completely dry.
10. Evaluate the work and, if necessary, eliminate the shortcomings using the technology described above.

In order to restore ceramic tiles with your own hands during repairs, you do not need to be a professional builder. It is enough to understand a little about building materials and have certain skills in working with the appropriate tool.

Regardless of the degree of protection, that is, it is a closed area or an open one, the previously laid tiles for various reasons partially or completely deteriorate, and then its overhaul is almost inevitable.

And there are such reasons, which led to the restoration of ceramic tiles, and there are many of them. Here are just a few:

1. The preparatory work was carried out very badly, if not carried out at all.
2. The preparation of an adhesive composition based on dry building mixtures and materials occurred in violation of the requirements of the instructions attached to them, and they themselves were of low quality.
3. The technological process prescribed for the installation of the ceramic coating was not fully followed.
4. Improper operation and barbaric handling, resulting in chips, cracks, scratches.
5. Violation of the tightness at the junction of the tile with the base, and as a result - the appearance of water with the subsequent destruction of the adhesive layer.
6. Temperature drops, excess moisture.

All this negatively affects the ceramic coating. Over time, stains, streaks, chips and cracks appear on it. The tiles burst in places, crumble, and also fall off from the base in separate pieces or even as a whole.

Of course, in such cases, it is necessary to repair the tile, and for each damage there is its own method of elimination. It is required to consider the most common flaws and options for their elimination.

The algorithm for carrying out the work is quite simple:

1. Chips, cracks and scratches on ceramic tiles must be sealed with cement laitance. It is not difficult to prepare it: cement is poured into a container with water and everything is mixed until the mixture acquires the consistency of liquid sour cream. The ratio of water and powder is not regulated and is selected empirically. Please note that there is no sand or other filler in it.
2. With a piece of cloth, the solution is rubbed into the damaged area, and after it dries, the procedure is repeated. This operation continues until the defect disappears completely. And in order for the mixture to acquire the necessary hardness, it is necessary to periodically moisten the treated place with water for some time (2-3 days). Then, if necessary, the area is carefully painted over with a paint that matches the color of the tile.

And for such purposes, you can use a trowel mixture, picking it up in color and texture, or resort to decorative self-adhesive stickers.

How to fix holes in tiles? Likewise, only the cement laitance needs to be made thicker by changing the proportional composition of water and cement.

In this case, the technology is as follows:

1. If one or several tiles have peeled off the surface, but the integrity of both the tile and the base is beyond doubt, you must first carefully remove the tiles, and then remove them from everywhere where the remnants of the old glue are.
2. Next, thoroughly clean the surface of dirt and dust, having previously deepened it by a few millimeters, coat it with a primer, dry it and only then fill it with fresh adhesive. It is important to make sure that the glue, even in a larger volume - the excess will still be squeezed out when laying the tiles - is distributed in the corners. This will protect against the appearance of air voids.
3. Then, with a notched trowel, the adhesive mixture is evenly distributed over the entire area, grooves are made in it, which are located at the same level and have the same height.
4. The tiles can now be laid back. It is important that they do not stand out in any way from other tiles, for which you should use the building level. If necessary, glue is added or removed under their base.

However, tile adhesive is not the only one used to fix tiles to the substrate. For this, you can use silicone sealant. white, liquid glass in conjunction with tooth powder, cement mortar (least welcome).

The tile firmly "grabbed" the base

Repair of tiles on the floor should be done even if it adheres to the surface quite firmly. How to remove it? Depending on her future fate, the following options are possible:

• old tiles can be used for their intended purpose;
• the resulting damage prevents it from being reinstalled.

The initial steps are identical in both cases. In order not to damage neighboring good specimens, you need a thin drill, worked out diamond disc, with a hacksaw blade for metal or the same emery wheel, embroider the seams with the old grout. However, the efficiency of this handcrafted work is very low, especially if the original installation was done more than one month ago. Therefore, it is better to use a grinder with the same cutting disc previously inserted into it.

In the first variant, an ordinary trowel is placed on the butt end under the base of the tile and knocked out with light hammer blows, gradually shifting along its entire length on one side. By the change in sound, one can judge the beginning of its departure from the base. Gradually, the trowel is wound under the tile, which begins to vibrate, further and further, until it is finally free.

The second option provides otherwise: a large-diameter hole is drilled in the center of the damaged tile. A chisel, chisel or chisel is inserted into it, and under the blows of a hammer, the desired element is split into pieces.

Other important points

The necessary repair work is also carried out when a fungus penetrates the grout, from which it (grout) becomes moldy and takes on an unpresentable look. In addition, this procedure is required for complete or partial shedding. In such cases, the grout should be completely changed, otherwise the repaired area will stand out noticeably against the general background. With a grinder or other auxiliary items, which is less effective, the old seams between the tiles are cleaned, and then the fresh composition is again rubbed there with a rubber spatula.

It is necessary to take care of ceramic tiles. This concept includes not only daily sweeping of debris (floor tiles) and wiping with a dry soft cloth (wall ceramics) or, in more serious cases, application detergents, but also the return of its original appearance. For these purposes, various preparations, special impregnations and detergents are used.

You can also paint the tile or apply an original drawing to the surface, having previously cleaned and polished it.

To repair tile floors, you need the following:

• tools - a perforator with an emery wheel for metal, a hammer, a chisel or chisel, toothed, metal and rubber spatulas, a paint brush, a trowel, concrete drills, a building level;
• building materials - cement, dry tile glue, grout, acrylic paint, primer, tiles for repair.

It must be remembered that not only the repair of ceramic tiles requires constant attention, accuracy and patience. Exactly the same words can be confidently said about the care of ceramic tiles. These concepts are inseparable from each other. And everyone can fulfill them. A little dexterity, skill - and success is guaranteed.

If the tiles are damaged on the floor, one or more, it is not at all necessary to start overhaul... Replacing cracked tiles with new ones is a simple process and there is no need to hire a specialist for this. Of course, provided that when repairing tiles on the floor yourself, you need to do it correctly and exercise maximum care and accuracy.

Ceramic flooring is particularly durable and practical. It is easy to clean, sterilize and, one might say, practically does not wear out. It would seem that all these characteristics are in conflict with such a concept as "repair". But it turns out that all abrasion resistant coatings have a common weakness - fragility. Cracks form on the surface from impact or deformation. What do they do in such cases?

Tile laying rules

In most cases, the occurrence of defects on the tile covering is associated with improper installation. Having chosen the optimal laying formula (in rows, diagonally or otherwise), you need to prepare the sub-floor surface.

If necessary, the plane is leveled using special building mixtures. Since in the process of temperature drop the screed can expand - it must necessarily contain steel reinforcement... Usually this metal grid, located at a depth of 2/3 of the flooded floor.

After the preparatory work, when laying the tiled floor, certain rules and recommendations should be followed.

• There should be some distance between the tiles - 1-3 mm. After installation, it is filled with a special putty.
• The adhesive layer is evenly distributed over the subfloor surface. It is best to use a special notched trowel for this. In no case should the tiles be installed at only 5 points - this will lead to the formation of voids. According to technology, their volume should not exceed 10% of the total.
• The alignment clamp should be applied evenly. In this case, excess glue should not be squeezed out of the tile.

Observing these rules, you can minimize the likelihood of defects or damage even at the installation stage. But even in this case, there are objective factors, after which it is necessary to repair the tiled floor.

Causes of defects

They can be conditionally divided into two groups - non-compliance with the installation technology or violation of operating rules. The consequences are expressed in deformation of the tile surface, change in location individual elements with respect to the general figure. Let's consider the most common cases of defects.

• Cracks. Most often this is a consequence of improper installation - an uneven distribution of glue on the inner surface of the tile. While walking on such an element, the load on the voids can lead to cracks or chips.

An inappropriate tile model is another factor in tile cracking. The floor has a large thickness, including the enamel coating. One of the defining differences is low slip coefficient (prevents injury), low hygroscopicity and mechanical strength. If you install a wall model on the floor, then over time, moisture can deteriorate the performance of the glue.

A thin layer of enamel will quickly be damaged, which will cause a loss of the appearance of the coating. The best way solutions to the problem - replacement of individual coating elements.

• Scuffs, chips. Observing the above rules for choosing and laying tiles, there is still a possibility of appearance of external defects - chips and scuffs. In some cases, tile replacement is not required. You can use special repair putties. However, it is necessary to periodically update the defect area.

How to repair a tile floor: a phased implementation

Start renovation work with an assessment of the degree of destruction of the floor - this will help to make the most economically viable decision. If more than 30% of the tiles are damaged (such damage is already considered significant), it will be cheaper to completely replace the old coating - remove the existing material and lay out the coating again. Complete replacement of the floor will make it possible to change its design and use more modern tile material. True, not everyone can do such a repair of tiles on the floor.

If the ceramic cloth is partially changed, then the biggest difficulty, perhaps, is in the selection of the appropriate one. The zealous owner, who at one time followed the golden rule and bought a tile with a reserve, of course, is not in danger. Others will have to look for a similar one in stores, and if the tile is already outdated and out of production, then the search and repair of the tile floor with it becomes a separate problem.

How to remove old tiles without hitting adjacent ones

This is the main problem. The easiest way to solve this issue is with sufficiently wide joints between the elements of the floor covering.

Removing one or more tiles is the most time consuming process of repairing a tile floor. To complete it, you need to use the following tools and materials:

• Scraper. It removes the outer layer of glue and decorative putty between the tiles.
• Chisel or hammer drill with a chisel. During dismantling, it is impossible to preserve the defective element, therefore it will be necessary to break it to completely remove it from the floor surface.
• New tile, tile adhesive and notched trowel.
• Personal protective equipment - gloves, goggles.

Damage removal options

• sawing the seams with a grinder with water;
• cutting seams with a drill with a thin drill;
• removal of tiles with a perforator or manually with a chisel;
• a combination of these options, depending on the availability of a particular tool.

Then remove the old layer of glue.

Attention

It is important to find out the cause of the damage. Perhaps the underlying concrete screed was broken, then it will have to be restored.

The screed is restored with a cement-sand mortar. With a significant number of damaged tiles, you can install a self-leveling floor. Only tile adhesive is used to lay the individual tiles, which are surrounded by solid, preserved floor elements.

When restoring a screed with cement or a self-leveling mixture, the level is set just below the old floor so that you can then level the new part with the main coating in height.

It remains only to wait for the glue to dry. About 24 hours after that, the floor repair can be considered complete.

Screed repair

Repairs concrete screed required in the event that the technology of its laying was not followed. During thermal expansion, it acts on the tile adhesive, creating stress on the tile surface. As a result, this leads to damage to the latter. Most often, this situation occurs when repairs to floors in the corridor are required.

If, after performing the above steps to remove the defective tile, cracks are found on the surface of the screed, it is necessary to repair the screed. To do this, remove the tiles along the entire length of the split and carefully remove the concrete layer. Its thickness should be about 4-7 cm. Reinforcing strapping must be present. If it is not there, you will have to redo the entire screed. It is a laborious process, but once completed, the chance of a floor defect is significantly reduced.

Let's consider the most common option - the pouring technology was done correctly, but a crack still appeared. This phenomenon is typical for new houses, the foundation of which has not passed the stage of final shrinkage. First you need to widen the crack, remove 1-2 mm of concrete around its edges. After removing the debris, you can start pouring the repair mixture.

Best to use special formulations, which form a strong adhesion to the rest of the screed surface. Having poured some part of the mixture into the crack, you need to wait for its distribution throughout the volume. For leveling, you can add more solution on top. At the end, you must wait a while for the mixture to cool beforehand. Then a leveling surface layer is applied using a spatula.

Tiles can only be laid after 5-7 days. Follow the above technology.

How to repair floors in the hallway

If the cracks are small, you can try to level them with a cement paste - a mixture of fine sand and cement taken equally. The cracks are filled with the resulting mixture and rubbed with a spatula or swab in different directions so that it is better absorbed into the depth of the crack. If the crack is solid, the tiles will have to be replaced.

Let's describe in more detail the process of replacing one cracked tile.

• We remove the damaged material. Along the diagonal of the damaged element with a step of no more than 2 cm. Then they put on goggles and gloves and, armed with a hammer and chisel, break the tiles into small pieces. They work carefully so as not to damage the neighboring ones. You can also break off shards by starting from the center and moving towards the edges.
• We clean up the trash. Debris and dust are removed with a vacuum cleaner. This is a fairly important stage, and it must be taken seriously. Residual dust may well cause the material to not “grip” sufficiently with the floor, and when laid, it will wobble. In this case, it will have to be repaired again.
• We prepare the base. What to do next will depend on the condition of the base and the cause of the defect. In any case, in order to replace the floor element, it is advisable, especially if there are several of them, to remove the screed layer and level it.
• A new screed is poured from a cement-sand mixture, special glue or self-leveling mixture. In this case, it is necessary to maintain a 5 mm gap to the desired level of the screed in order to be able to precisely adjust it in height due to the thickness of the adhesive layer. It is necessary to ensure that the screed layer falls on the full surface, without voids. The screed must be allowed to harden.

• We put it down. A pillow is prepared from the tile glue, on which waves are arranged with a spatula - after installing and adjusting the coating, they will settle.
• On the back of the tile, using a notched trowel, apply a special glue and adjust it using a level in height. Then they are upset with a fist, mallet or rubber press. So that it does not stand out from the rest of the coating, the seams must be processed.

• We rub the seams. Grouting is started after 24 hours. Its surplus can be removed in a quarter of an hour. To do this, use either a special sponge, or an ordinary household one. To completely eliminate all grout stains, you will need several passes (3-4 times).
• No special care is required when grouting. Putty, accidentally caught on the "neighbors", you can simply wipe with a damp sponge.

On a note

DIY floor tile repairs can be done with a minimum set of tools. Particular attention should be paid to the composition of the adhesive and the repair mixture. They must be designed for this type of work. If all the rules and technology have been followed, it will be almost impossible to externally distinguish the newly installed tiles from the rest of the coating.

Tiled coatings are considered one of the most resistant to normal wear and tear and damage of any kind, but it so happens that they also require attention. In addition, the tiles are not always laid again during repairs, and chipped, worn and worn areas against the background of the new interior will stand out with sloppy spots. Meanwhile, knowing some professional secrets and the tricks of the builders, you can easily, quickly and no less efficiently repair tiles with your own hands, without spending huge amounts of money either on a complete replacement of the coating, or on the expensive services of qualified teams.

Why does the tile fail, or how to avoid repairing it?

Most often, various mistakes made by the masters during the laying process lead to the tile falling off and to the appearance of its damage. The most common of them are:

• poor surface preparation of walls or floors;
• improper dilution of cement mortar for gluing;
• careless handling of tiles, leading to the appearance of microcracks, which, during further operation, with any light blow, turn into chips and cracks.

In addition, if the tightness of the connection between the tile and the base is broken during operation, the moisture that gets under it quickly destroys the adhesive layer. Therefore, it is very important to monitor the condition of the tile joints and timely carry out the necessary repairs to ceramic tiles.

If we talk about paving slabs, then to the factors that negatively affect the durability of the coating, there is also the aggressive effect of atmospheric phenomena, as well as an increased risk of damage by falling heavy objects onto the surface.

Compliance with the technology when laying, careful handling of the material and proper operation will allow you to forget about the need to repair the tile coating for many years.

Tiled or ceramic tiles

Types of repair work

Most often, tile repair is the installation of the fallen tile back in place. Often there is a need to replace an old damaged coating. For example, when a kitchen is being renovated, the tile after moving furniture or decor items to another place remains with holes from the fasteners. Old worn seams, which have absorbed dust, grease and other dirt and have lost their original color, do not look very aesthetically pleasing either.

If the tiles are chipped and cracked ...

If there is no stock of tiles left, and the store could not pick up suitable material for replacement, cracks can be repaired with "cement milk".

"Cement milk" is a solution of cement with water, without the addition of sand, and resembles real milk in consistency.

To do this, gradually pouring the solution onto the surface of the tile, rub it with a coarse piece of cloth into the crack. For better penetration, this should be done in two directions: along and across the crack. Deeper chips and depressions can be completely filled with this solution and smoothed out after drying.

To achieve greater strength of the solution filling cracks, it must be slightly moistened for another two to three days.

If a whole tile falls off ...

... don't panic and start a global repair with a change of the entire coating. These tiles can be easily put back in place. If the tile has not completely moved away and holds on a little more, it must be very carefully removed from its nest with a chisel or chisel.

Then painstakingly prepare the base for laying, otherwise very soon you will have to face the same problem. To do this, remove all adhesive residue or, if repairing tiles on the floor, knock out all the old grout to the base. After that, it is necessary to clean the surface from the slightest particles of dust and other dirt and slightly moisten it with water.

There are several ways to re-attach a tile:

1. On silicone sealant, and it is better to use white than transparent, which has less strength.
2. On liquid glass. With this method, the liquid glass solution must be mixed with ordinary tooth powder.
3. On zinc white. In this case, it is necessary to treat the base with linseed oil a day before fixing the tiles.
4. For cement mortar.
5. On tile adhesive.

In the last two options, when preparing the surface of the base, it is necessary to go a little deeper into it by 3-4 mm. Such a margin is necessary so that the laid tiles do not stick out due to the adhesive layer.

For better adhesion, any adhesive applied to the tile must be smoothed with a notched trowel.

If you need to replace the tiles with a new one ...

First, the damaged tile must be removed. It is easier to do this if you first get rid of the tile joints, for example, with a spatula.

Next, use a thin drill to drill holes in a circle in the center of the tile at a close distance from each other and knock out this part with a light blow. Now, by inserting a chisel into the resulting gap, we carefully chop off the damaged tile, while trying not to damage the nearby ones, of course, if they cannot be removed.

The next step is to carefully clean the whole tiles from the remnants of the grout, and the base from the old glue. After that, you need to make sure that the surface is intact, even shallow potholes should be repaired before gluing the tile. Do not neglect the primer, it will help to achieve maximum evenness of the base.

After the tile is glued in place, be sure to check that its level is consistent with the rest of the coating. If it protrudes, then a simple tapping on it will help put it in the right position, but if, on the contrary, the tile is buried among the rest, then it must be removed and some glue added.

Seams between only laid tiles should not be repaired before the adhesive is completely dry.

If the tile joints don't look very good ...

If the joints between the tiles have lost their attractive appearance or are covered with mold, do not panic either. There are many solutions available in hardware stores to deal with these problems.

If the grout has partially (or even completely) crumbled, you will have to work a little. After all, it will need to be completely replaced throughout the room, otherwise renovated site will stand out from the rest. Of course, you can try to find a product with the most suitable color, but this rarely succeeds.

So, first you need to clean the entire tiled surface from limescale and other deposits. Now it is not difficult, the range of appropriate products is simply huge. After that, we completely remove the old tile joints using a thin and pointed object (it is better if it is wooden, this will avoid accidental damage to the tiles) and rub them over again.

If the tile has lost its former gloss ...

In general, ceramic tiles quite easily restore their original appearance with the help of special impregnations, detergents and other preparations, but if you really want to change dramatically, and new styling is not yet included in your plans, then you can try to change the surface design.

One way is to paint the tiles. Of course, it must first be thoroughly cleaned and sanded with sandpaper. After that, we degrease the area of \u200b\u200bthe tile covering intended for the drawing, and remove the plaque remaining after washing with acetone. If the drawing is simple, for example, geometric ornaments, then its boundaries can be marked with thin tape or tape. If you want something unusual, you will have to suffer with the preparation of stencils. All the surface left under the drawing must be primed, and you can start painting it only after the primer layer has completely dried.

That's all, you can enjoy your new interior!

Paving slabs

A few words should be said about this type of tile separately. Yes, it requires the same types of repair, but there are several nuances in their technologies.

1. First, when replacing a sagging paving slabs it is necessary to re-fill the base with sand, carefully tamp and level it.
2. Second, if subsidence or deformation was caused by waste water, then you should first take care of their correct removal from the surface of the coating, and only then begin the repair of paving slabs.

And finally, a short video telling about some of the building secrets of tiling and grouting:

Do not forget that even the most durable materials can fail as a result of careless handling. The key to the durability of the tile flooring is proper care and timely repairs.

14-08-2015

Tile requires careful handling.

Repair of tiles requires care in the preparatory and basic work.

Using this construction material, care should be taken as with preparatory workand during the installation itself.

It often happens that after a certain period, some of the laid tiles may fall off, and the other may crack a little. Many apartment owners met with this picture. There are several main reasons that could lead to such consequences. Most of them are associated with the mistakes of the master, made by him while laying tiles on the wall:

• preparation of the walls was carried out incorrectly, with serious violations;
• violation of the installation technology, which could lead to the appearance of cracks, chips;
• the glue was not prepared correctly;
• destruction of the adhesive base due to poor-quality processing of the seams.

It is possible to avoid the future repair of ceramics if the rules for installation and operation are fully observed, and proper care is also important.

Modern types of tile repair with your own hands

Layout of tiles in the corner using PVC profiles.

Many metamorphoses can occur with modern tiles, due to which appearance ceramic tiles deteriorate: greasy and dirty spots appear on the tiles, a small mesh of cracks forms, often tiles break off at the corners or may completely fall off the wall. With the help of ordinary tools, you can carry out cosmetic repairs of tiles without the involvement of professional craftsmen.

A large scratch stands out strongly on the matte surface and spoils the whole look of the laid out composition. Perfect option – complete replacement tiles, but if this is not possible, then you can perform the following simple steps that will help mask this small defect:

1. First, you need to prepare a material that consists of cement and water. From these two components, it is necessary to make a solution that should not be thick, but rather liquid. You do not need to use any other components.
2. If the scratch is not deep enough, then it must be covered with the resulting solution. It is advisable to rub the solution into the crack. It is convenient to use a small piece of tissue for this operation. Now the solution should dry completely, then the operation is repeated again until the crack is no longer visible.
3. It so happens that the treated area may differ in color from all the others. In this case, the necessary paint is selected, it is very carefully applied to the crack, the main thing is not to hit the whole tile. There should be no problems with the selection of paint, since modern construction stores provide a service for the selection and manufacture of paint on an individual order.

If one element of the tile structure has dropped out, then, perhaps, this will lead to the fall of other ceramic tiles. If the tightness was not broken, then it is possible to return the broken-off piece to its usual place. Before laying work, you need to carefully dismantle all unstable elements of the tile, that is, select all the tiles that swing when pressed or already move away from the wall. An important stage of work is the preparation of the walls. The old cured adhesive must be completely removed, otherwise the repair will fail. After removing the glue, it is necessary to clean the surface, remove all residues of dirt and dust. All foreign elements can interfere with the adhesion of ceramic tiles to the wall. After thorough cleaning, the wall must be abundantly moistened with water. Different components can be used as a solution or glue:

• dry tile adhesive;
• cement solution;
• silicone based sealant;
• liquid nails or liquid glass;
• zinc white, which is applied to the base, pre-treated with linseed oil.

A thick layer of applied adhesive can cause the tiles to protrude above the base layer. In order to prevent this, the place where the glue is applied needs to be deepened by only a couple of millimeters.