Despite tile being used in multiple areas of your home from the kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and entryways most associate it with a flooring installation. Not only is tile attractive but also gives you a waterproof floor that’s easier to clean and more robust against foot traffic and usually only wears away due to a shoddy installation job or being exposed to extreme temperatures or too much weight. Specific tile materials require more proper upkeep such as natural stone and marble tile floors compared to others as they can easily blemish if you’re not careful. The most common repairs our technicians are requested to perform include chips and cracks, fixing loose tiles, discoloration including crumbling grout, recaulking any joints, and professionally cleaning your tiles using a pressure washer depending on the condition of your tile surface. Our expert technicians have the dexterity and hand-eye coordination to correct an improper installation job and explain what areas were problematic. Although there are repair kits you can purchase from any home hardware store it can get messy and you can accidentally skew the replacement of your tile replacement so that it doesn’t align with the rest of the tile flooring in a pattern. Instead, opt for a no-obligation consultation with Mr. Handyman to thoroughly inspect your floors for a proper tile repair. Colorado Springs, CO homeowners just need to sit back and relax.
Tile eventually deteriorates over time and its durability depends on how frequently you perform routine maintenance. Typically, tile is made of natural stone, ceramic, porcelain, or clay and is most vulnerable to heavy items being dragged across its surface resulting in a fracture. Plus, a floor tile repair is also needed if the tile itself is defective, to begin with, or installed on an unsmooth subfloor. Here are some of the steps our skilled technician takes for tile repair:
- Shop Around: Ideally, you want to replace a tile that matches your previous color, texture, and design. If you have spare tiles from your previous tile floor installation that’s great! If not, we'll help you find the closest substitute.
- Select Grout: We will pair up your tile repair with a matching grout color.
- Out With The Old: We will proceed to eradicate the old tile whilst being careful not to damage the surrounding tiles. We have many techniques up our sleeves but one arctic we’ll use is drilling a diagonal series of small holes into the damaged tile. The sequence of tiny holes will help readily lift the tile piece off of the subfloor. Next, we’ll take a ball-peen hammer and gently tap away into the tile. As we tap along the cracked tile, we will loosen it up and then completely remove it.
- Pry Away: We will remove the most difficult broken tile pieces with a flat bar.
- Clean Up: Now we’ll clean up the residue from the previous tile installation using a stiff-bladed scraper to ensure it’s clean for the replacement. You can use a hand vacuum to catch any loose dust, dirt, or debris.
- Replacement: Now we’ll use a notched trowel to spread a mortar substance onto the subfloor and lay on the brand-new tile. We’ll use a tile setting tool or level to make sure the new tile is completely flat and flush with the subfloor and any nearby tiles.
- All About Grout: Lastly, we regrout the area using a sponge and clean off the excess.
Types of Tiles
Although you may not have stocked up on extra tile pieces from your previous flooring installation our technician can recommend the closest alternatives. Most tiles will be either made of natural stone, plastic, or a combination thereof, and each material type indicates a certain potential based on your personal preferences. Here is the most common type of Colorado Springs tile repair materials available:
- Natural Stone: This is literally made of stones from the great outdoors including marble, slate, granite, and limestone. Although it’ll boost your organic lifestyle it does require a great deal of maintenance as it’s more fragile and it doesn't bode well under water as it's susceptible to stains, scratches, and chips. But it’ll last you for decades and increase your property value.
- Ceramic: This is made from natural clay that has been fired in a kiln and is more durable and water-resistant than the natural stone variety. The only drawback is that you can’t claim that it’s 100% pure as it's a copycat material that only mimics the look of real stone.
- Porcelain: Slightly more water-resistant as it doesn’t easily scratch or stain and it’s more durable than ceramic. This is another artificial product that mimics real stone and can adjust to fluctuating temperatures.
- Cork: Great for water resistance and resistant to mold, mildew, and termites but due to being a soft flooring material it’s easily damaged for example with your pets clawing away at it or from dragging heavy furniture that can leave heavy dents.
Why We’re the Coveted Choice for Tile Repair
We’ve been a mainstay choice for home improvement services including maintenance and repairs for a reason. As a locally owned and operated business, we recognize problems with tiles that Colorado Springs homeowners encounter which can be difficult to magnify given the keen observation skills required. If outrightly ignored a hairline crack on your tile will only fissure and become costlier to repair with a tile installation. But no frets! Our handyman can not only handle your repair but best advise you on how to preserve your tile for years to come including glazing it over with a sealant every so often. If you’re still unsure, we can conduct a consultation and general inspection before the Colorado Springs tile repair service. And if you’re really indecisive be rest assured that our transparent, upfront pricing and one-year parts guarantee ensures you’re not signing up for a one-off job as we’ll return to make the proper adjustments.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tile Repair
What are some safety precautions to consider when replacing tile?
If you must attempt a DIY job we recommend taking the appropriate safety measures including having a safety helmet, facemask, rubber hand gloves, safety glasses, and shoes. Be aware that it doesn't include the professional equipment you may need to do a precise job.
What are the most common tile installation problems?
- Cracked Tile
- Loosened Tile
- Expansion and Contraction of tile
- Lack of cleaning grime
- Poor workmanship from the shoddy contractor
- Improper adhesive
- Applying the wrong color of grout
- Poorly prepped subfloor
What causes tiles to fall apart?
Excessive moisture tends to impact tiles the most due to an effect known as efflorescence which readily exposes your tile to salt deposits, especially in and around the grout lines. Mostly, the subfloor or mortar application underneath is responsible for the extra moisture and resulting damage.
Add Grandeur to Your Drab Floors with a Tile Repair!
Mr. Handyman of Colorado Springs is your top choice for contractors from minor quick fixes to large-scale home renovation projects. Although we are advocates of routine maintenance it’s easy to become complacent sometimes and let problems slide until you’ve accidentally tripped on a loose floorboard due to ignoring a tile repair. Colorado Springs, CO residents are always advised to use an accredited service provider. Whether you’re in Colorado Springs or nearby areas of Castle Pines, Elizabeth, or Manitou Springs reach out to us to book a consultation or service appointment today!
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