How To Replace a Tile Under Water?

[Bill Budd]

Hi members.
Wanted to ask if any body has experience in underwater tiling? If so what are good products to use and any tips on techniques.
Talk to you soon.
Bill

 

[Gazzer]

Re: Bill

Hello and welcome. this has been discussed before so I am sure someone will be along at some point with the info you require.....any more details on what you actually need to know ?

 

[Dan]

Re: Bill

Hi welcome to the forum.

If it's repairing a tile or two in a swimming pool. You'd need to use diving equipment to go down and clear out the tile and adhesive, then back-butter the tile out of the water, place it into a plastic bag, go down and quickly rip off the back and place it into place, use the adhesive to grout with by way of allowing it to ooze out a bit and use your finger or whatever to smooth it off.

You will need some form of water hoover (sorry I'm not a techie in this but do know such a thing exists - perhaps for hire?) when both getting up the old tile, and also when pushing the tile into place to catch any adhesive floating off.

Adhesive will cure under water just fine. You might need to check with adhesive manufacturers with regards to whether chemicals in the pool will react to chemicals in the adhesive or visa versa.

Never seen it done but heard of quite few over the years doing it so it is possible and just fiddly more than complicated.

 

[steveb]

welcome along

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

Re: Bill

Hi welcome to the forum.

If it's repairing a tile or two in a swimming pool. You'd need to use diving equipment to go down and clear out the tile and adhesive, then back-butter the tile out of the water, place it into a plastic bag, go down and quickly rip off the back and place it into place, use the adhesive to grout with by way of allowing it to ooze out a bit and use your finger or whatever to smooth it off.

You will need some form of water hoover (sorry I'm not a techie in this but do know such a thing exists - perhaps for hire?) when both getting up the old tile, and also when pushing the tile into place to catch any adhesive floating off.

Adhesive will cure under water just fine. You might need to check with adhesive manufacturers with regards to whether chemicals in the pool will react to chemicals in the adhesive or visa versa.

Never seen it done but heard of quite few over the years doing it so it is possible and just fiddly more than complicated.

well i loved this reply , just picturing someone doing this , good try Dan and mostly right, we do not use water soluble adhesive in this situation ,there are a few epoxy adhesives specially made for these repairs, not like ordinary epoxy, and the water chemistry is not a problem with these special adhesives , if you want to buys some then contact me by PM and i will be pleased to help you .

 

[Time's Ran Out]

During the long hot summer of 1976 - when pools were not drained - Ardex had a promotion on their X7 product which advertised and showed Navy divers replacing cracked tiles exactly the method explained by Dan! Adhesive in a plastic bag.
I'd contact Ardex to see if they still recommend this method.

Ardex CA20 P may be a product to use.

 

[Muse2k8]

Can't you hire a diving bell? 😉