For me, it was a solid brass antique gaslight valve my cousin Sal gave me—he knows I go crazy over stuff like that. When he found it in rubble on a remodeling job, he knew I’d love it. Boy, did I! It went right on a shelf in my bathroom where I proudly display my other antique hardware pieces. Wouldn’t you know it? While dusting, I knocked the gaslight right off the shelf onto the tile floor. Happily, my antique valve was without a scratch. My floor tile, on the other hand . . . well, that was a different story. Here’s the fix.
CONSIDER THIS
Th is repair will take at least 48 hours before anyone can walk on the tile. Read the manufacturer’s instructions for product drying times.
PREP WORK
• You can protect the surrounding tiles by masking them off with newspaper.
• Saw out the grout around the broken tile with the grout saw.
• Drill several holes in the tile in an X shape and chisel out pieces of the tile.
Use the hammer and chisel to break out the tile. Start where the broken section is and work out from there. Be sure to wear safety glasses and gloves, and use solid blows.
• Clear out any remaining bits of mortar with a scraper. Be careful not to damage the substrate (the base that the tile is adhered to).
• Vacuum out any debris.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Floor tile
Masonry chisel and hammer
Rubber mallet
Notched trowel
Grout saw
Scraper
Newspaper
Masking tape
Small old towel
Safety glasses and gloves
Vacuum
Thin-set mortar
Mixing pail and stir stick
Rag
Matching grout and grouting materials
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