Chipped Porcelain Tile

[Paul Cockhill]

Hi
After finishing tiling a bathroom floor with porcelain tiles and installing electric underfloor heating. Another tradesman has dropped something heavy on the tile and chipped it in two places. Please see the picture.

A slither has been chipped off the surface of the tile by the crossroads of grouting. There is also a chip further along the grouting.

It is in the middle of the bathroom floor so very obvious. Any ideas how this can be disguised?

I would think the best thing would be to remove the tile but this will obviously affect the underfloor heating?

Any ideas gratefully received

Regards

Paul

 

[One Day]

Did you cover the ufh with smoothing compound before tiling???
(one of the other big reasons for using it!)

 

[Old Mod]

What's between the UFH and tile?
SLC and adhesive or just adhesive?

 

[Old Mod]

Haha @impish, u blighter u! 🙂

 

[One Day]

I'll bet he's fixed direct to cables. Oh-oh!

 

[Old Mod]

Are u opening a book? Hehe

 

[JMC tiling]

I wonder if they will notice the grain/pattern of the tile above being in a different direction aswell?

 

[JMC tiling]

Oh, and I would try to take tile up with chip as there is no way of hiding it really i'm afraid, hopefully SLC used, if not then GL!

 

[White Room]

I wonder if they will notice the grain/pattern of the tile above being in a different direction aswell?

Hawkeye🙂

 

[John Benton]

Shame its not the chipped tile that the grain is in the wrong direction, 2 birds one stone and all that!!!

 

[Paul Cockhill]

Did you cover the ufh with smoothing compound before tiling???
(one of the other big reasons for using it!)

No just adhesive

 

[Paul Cockhill]

What's between the UFH and tile?
SLC and adhesive or just adhesive?

Just adhesive

 

[Paul Cockhill]

Thanks for all your comments. I appreciate it.

I dont think I could just pull up one tile without ruining the ufh

Looks like it would be best for me to take up the tiles and relay it again. So just to be clear would you suggest putting down the ufh the slc then tile on top?
Can you suggest a good slc?

Thanks

Paul

 

[White Room]

Ultra Level IT Two

 

[Old Mod]

Tilemaster rapid level 30
Or Levelflex.

 

[Old Mod]

Before you tear up the whole floor surely pulling the one up is worth a shot!
It can be done, I've done it myself.

 

[One Day]

Before you tear up the whole floor surely pulling the one up is worth a shot!
It can be done, I've done it myself.

Cover the tile with a heavy dust sheet and smash the absolute heck out of it. Break it into small pieces which you can hopefully then remove from the cables without damaging them.
You'll need a stack of patience (1-2hrs) but if you are careful and methodical you can get it up and save the cables.

(If you've spot fixed - which of course you shouldn't - you'll manage this a lot easier)

 

[Old Mod]

Cover the tile with a heavy dust sheet and smash the absolute heck out of it. Break it into small pieces which you can hopefully then remove from the cables without damaging them.
You'll need a stack of patience (1-2hrs) but if you are careful and methodical you can get it up and save the cables.

(If you've spot fixed - which of course you shouldn't - you'll manage this a lot easier)

Personally I'd be a little more subtle, haha
Only I used grinder to depth of tile first.
But then it takes a lot of confidence to use a grinder and it can easily go wrong.
But as above, it'll work if you're careful.

 

[One Day]

Personally I'd be a little more subtle, haha
Only I used grinder to depth of tile first.
But then it takes a lot of confidence to use a grinder and it can easily go wrong.
But as above, it'll work if you're careful.

I'd agree with the grinder if slc was used. But you're brave doing that bareback!

 

[Old Mod]

I'd agree with the grinder if slc was used. But you're brave doing that bareback!

Bareback?......
No, no, no......I always use protection!
Gloves, mask the lot! 😀

 

[goz]

Remember to use a multi tool with diamond grout rake fitting first to isolate the tile. Always finds that if you don't it's likely that as you start smashing the faulty tile out you will stray into the next tile if not isolated. Nothing worse than getting to the end of your tile and suddenly you have another 2 hour job on your hands!!

 

[Dhtiling]

As said, cut out the grout, cut groves in the offending tile with a grinder, remove tile, put in new tile with grain matching the one above so all 4 looked planned and ready grout. Simple thing really...but the very last thing I would do is start smashing it with a hammer....

 

[Paul Cockhill]

Thanks everyone for your very helpful comments. I agree I think I should isolate the tile first by cutting out the grout. I have a very good diamond edged hole cutter (Which I used to cut the hole for the WC handle). I thought I could use this to cut holes in the tile and gently prise it apart. A slow job but better than pulling up the whole floor

 

[One Day]

Hulk smash!!!😀

 

[One Day]

I'm messing btw. 😀 (VERY) Careful cuts with the grinder to weaken the tile and allow you to prize it into pieces is the best way. But DO wear safety specs!
I find that Hardibacker scoring knives are great for raking out grout when doing this - if you've not got a multitool.

 

[Paul Cockhill]

I'm messing btw. 😀 (VERY) Careful cuts with the grinder to weaken the tile and allow you to prize it into pieces is the best way. But DO wear safety specs!
I find that Hardibacker scoring knives are great for raking out grout when doing this - if you've not got a multitool.

Thanks very much, very useful info

 

[bcd-87]

Thanks for all your comments. I appreciate it.

I dont think I could just pull up one tile without ruining the ufh

Looks like it would be best for me to take up the tiles and relay it again. So just to be clear would you suggest putting down the ufh the slc then tile on top?
Can you suggest a good slc?

Thanks

Paul

Don't take the whole floor up yet.. tried the one tile first..

 

[LM]

You should try using one of these, adjust the depth of cut to the correct depth and cut the tile, without fear of damaging cables below or any dust, into 20-30mm strips after cutting out the perimeter grout and the long skinny cuts will pop out easy

Bosch Small Angle Grinder Dust Guard GDE 125EA-S

 

[Old Mod]

You should try using one of these, adjust the depth of cut to the correct depth and cut the tile, without fear of damaging cables below or any dust, into 20-30mm strips after cutting out the perimeter grout and the long skinny cuts will pop out easy

Bosch Small Angle Grinder Dust Guard GDE 125EA-S

It regulates depth of cut as well then Lee?

 

[LM]

Yep that's the whole point for me, as well as no mess of course, there's other similar products out there. You can't go wrong with these types of shrouds in situations like these

 

[colshaws]

If you do manage to get the one tile out make sure you do a continuity test and IR test on heating before fitting new tile