Tips on how to replace broken tiles!

Broken floor or wall tiles can ruin the entire look of a tiled room, but damage that can be easily caused can be amended just as quickly without having to replace the entire set of tiles. All you need is a steady hand and the equipment shown above. 

You will need :

- Goggles
- Carbide-tipped scoring tool
- Painter’s tape
- Drill with ceramic bit
- Hammer
- Cold chisel
- Wide-bladed chisel
- Adhesive
- Grout spreader
- Sponge
- Bucket of clean water
- Grout
- Cloth

Put on your goggles to protect your eyes from flying debris and dust, now use the carbide-tipped scoring tool to chip away at the grout surrounding the broken tile. Be careful not to slip and damage any neighboring tiles. Once the grout has been removed from around the tile, apply painter’s tape on the edge of the grout line, this will prevent surrounding tiles from getting chipped whilst you are removing the damaged tile.

Next drill a hole into each section of broken tile, this will loosen the adhesive below slightly and make it much easier to remove. Take your hammer and cold chisel, and work from the centre outwards to remove the broken tile sections. Gently tap away at the tile until it becomes loose. 

Once all the tile has been removed, use the wide-bladed chisel to remove the adhesive underneath, again be careful not to damage surrounding tiles as dried on adhesive can be tough to remove. Ensure that the surface is even and all adhesive has been removed before you place the new tile. Take your new tile and use the notched end of the grout spreader to comb adhesive onto the back and into the vacant space on your floor or wall. 

Place the tile into the space and press down firmly. Continue to apply pressure until the new tile is level with all the surrounding tiles. Once it is level, adjust the tile’s positioning to produce even spacing on each side of the tile. When the adhesive is dry, use the sponge, which should be dampened with clean water, to wipe away any excess adhesive. Grout around as normal and finish with a wipe of a damp sponge and polish with a dry cloth. If you are replacing a floor tile, make sure you don’t stand on the tile for at least 24 hours to allow it to dry properly and position without pressure.