What You Should Know About Denton Tile Repair

Tile is one of those building materials that is really made to last—but that doesn't mean it's impervious to damage. Everything from bathroom tile floors to kitchen backsplashes needs tile repair services sooner or later. Damage such as chips, cracks, smashed pieces, crumbling grout, peeling caulk and more can occur, and that damage isn't just an unattractive cosmetic problem. It can cause serious problems for your building and make your home or commercial property less comfortable. Preventing those problems is easier with professional Denton tile repair.

Tile repair may seem easy on the surface (pun intended) because installations are made up of individual pieces that can be swapped out. While that's true, repairing those surfaces is more complicated than simply dropping a new piece into place and calling it a day. Generally speaking, effective tile repair that will be durable, long-lasting, and visually appealing is a job for an experienced handyman.

If you need Denton tile repair service, we can help! The experts at Mr. Handyman of Flower Mound, Lewisville, and Denton are highly experienced with tile repair and dozens of other popular services. Our residential and commercial clients alike depend on us to deliver the highest standards of quality craftsmanship and outstanding customer service whenever they need a Denton handyman.

Why Is It Important to Get Prompt Denton Tile Repair?

If you notice a cracked tile on your kitchen floor or crumbly grout on the wall of your shower, it may not seem like such a big deal. But, there are three key reasons why you should get Denton tile repair services as soon as possible to correct the problem.

• Restore Your Home's Aesthetic: You've invested money in having your beautiful wall or floor installed, and time in keeping it clean and looking its best. Problems such as a broken tile are noticeable and unattractive, and it's a shame to have a big ugly spot on an otherwise appealing surface. Tile repair will restore the beauty of your home so you don't have to look at the damage every time you enter the room.
• Avoid Injury: Broken and cracked pieces have sharp edges that can actually cause injury to an unsuspecting foot or paw that hits them at the wrong angle. They can also be tripping hazards—even a tiny, raised bump is enough to send you flying if your toe catches on it while you're running around your house in a hurry. Our repair experts can make your floors smooth and even again so there's no risk of injury.
• Prevent Moisture Damage: Ceramic, porcelain, and other types of tiles are water resistant, so they protect your walls, subfloor and other structural elements of the building from water damage issues such as wood rot that can compromise the stability of the whole structure. If they are cracked, or the grout is cracked and crumbling, water can seep through and cause serious problems. Anyone who has ever had to deal with water damage mitigation will tell you it's well worth the effort to avoid it, and prompt repair is a simple way to ensure your house is protected once again.

What Causes Damage to Tiles?

Your flooring is built tough, but it can't withstand everything. You may know what caused the problem with your floor or wall—maybe you witnessed a heavy piece of furniture get accidentally dropped while it was being moved—but most of the time, it can be surprisingly difficult to figure out how exactly your wall or floor issues happened in the first place. Here are some of the most common causes of damage that call for Denton tile repair:

• Damage that wasn't that bad at first—like a hairline crack—can weaken a piece significantly, and even light pressure, later on, can cause it to spiral into a more severe problem
• Accidental impact damage from something heavy smashing into your wall or floor
• All buildings tend to settle over time which causes the building to shift and put stress on structural elements like the walls and floors, leading to problems like cracks, crumbled grout, and loose tiles
• That same settling process could cause damage to a concrete subfloor, causing it to sink or heave, which naturally has a big negative effect on any flooring installed over top of it
• If your floor joists were not installed correctly and are too far apart, or have been weakened by wood rot, all that heavy flooring material is not being adequately supported and can crack

Do You Need Denton Tile Repair or a New Installation?

Denton homeowners often ask us the old “repair or replace” question, and with good reason—you don't want to deal with the hassle of a complete replacement if all you need is a wall or floor tile repair. Or, you may have a sentimental or historical reason why you'd like to preserve your current installation for as long as possible. But, if the damage is really bad or quite widespread, repair may not be sufficient to restore your floor or wall to great condition and you'll end up needing a replacement in the long run anyway.

Based on what our team has learned over years of repair work in Denton and other parts of the county, there are two key factors that influence whether you should choose repair or replacement—the severity of the damage and whether you happen to have a spare matching piece available.

Damage is Widespread

Small chips or hairline cracks on one or two pieces are the perfect candidates for tile repair. Your Denton handyman can get them fixed up without needing to remove the pieces, and the repair will be unnoticeable. Maybe there's nothing wrong with the actual pieces, but the grout is cracking or starting to crumble apart and come loose, or it is just really dingy and dirty. In that case, we can remove and replace just the grout, leaving the flooring in place.

If you're looking for the best solution to deal with major, widespread damage like cracks and chips across numerous pieces, or severe damage to multiple pieces, our recommendation is to replace the entire installation. Many small repairs would be time-consuming work, and would leave the overall floor or wall with many potential weak points that could suffer damage again more easily in the future. When you've got tons of small issues—or multiple large problems—with your floor or wall, replacement is the most cost-effective solution to get your Denton property back in excellent condition.

Matching Tiles Aren't Available

If you've got one or two pieces that are smashed or missing chunks, you don't necessarily have to replace the whole installation—as long as you saved a couple of extra tiles when they were originally installed. If you did, your local handyman can simply remove the damaged piece and insert a new one from your stash of spares.

That's why you should always keep a few extra pieces when a new installation is put in. If you didn't have the opportunity to do that or didn't realize you should, there's a slim chance you may be able to purchase matching pieces, especially if the installation was done recently. It may be surprisingly difficult to find a perfect match, because:

• Designs tend to be discontinued frequently
• That specific kind may not be readily available in this area when you need them
• You might not know the exact manufacturer and product name

The other problem is that even if you do have the exact same type and color of the tile, your existing wall or floor has taken wear and tear damage over time and may have changed color slightly. In that case, the unused piece will not look the same and will stick out like a sore thumb. If you can't get hold of a piece that is going to match perfectly with your existing surface, it will look a lot better to replace the entire floor or wall. Is your tile repair or replacement part of a bathroom renovation? Check out our tips on planning Denton County bathroom remodeling.

Is DIY Tile Repair Difficult?

That really depends. If it's a hairline crack or small chip and you know your way around the hardware stores in Denton, you can likely take care of it yourself. Replacing one piece is more involved and takes more practice to get it right, and the difficulty scales up from there depending on the severity of the overall damage.

Denton Homeowners sometimes get a part way—or all the way—through a tile repair job and realize they aren't getting the results they were hoping for because they don't have much experience working with tile. You can save yourself time, money and stress by letting our team handle it for you quickly and efficiently.

How to Handle Tile Repair for a Small Chip or Crack

Want to give DIY tile repair a try? If you're dealing with a small chip in the surface, or a hairline crack, that’s a repair you may be able to handle. Chip repair for a porcelain or ceramic tile is fairly straightforward and most people in Denton can probably get the job done on their own.

For this type of tile repair, you will need:

• A damp, soapy cloth or sponge
• Clear or white repair epoxy
• Painter's tape
• A leveling tool such as a craft stick or even a toothpick
• Fine-grit sandpaper
• A small paintbrush
• Paint in the same color as your tile
• Water-based urethane

You may be able to find tile repair kits at your local Denton hardware store or tile store that contain most of the items listed above, but if not, they are easy and inexpensive to collect separately. Once you have all the supplies you need, make sure the area is well-lit (it can help to put a desk lamp on the floor and shine it directly at the area you are repairing), then follow these steps.

1. Clean the area thoroughly with a soapy rag or sponge and let it dry completely.
2. Mix up your repair epoxy, following package instructions from the manufacturer.
3. Cover grout lines around the piece you are working on with painter's tape so you don't get epoxy on your grout or adjacent tile.
4. Slightly overfill the chip or crack with epoxy filler.
5. Use your levelling tool to smooth out the epoxy filler and blend it into the surface texture of your piece so it is even.
6. Let it dry fully, which may only take about 30 to 60 minutes for a small amount (consult the manufacturer's directions for recommended drying times).
7. Sand epoxy with sandpaper to remove any ridges or bumps, leaving a smooth finish.
8. If you aren't sure that your paint is a good match for the tile color, test it on an inconspicuous area (remember, the paint will usually be a bit lighter once it dries).
9. Apply a coat of paint over the epoxy and let it dry, then apply a second coat and let it cure completely. This will sometimes take up to 24 hours, so check the instructions on the paint can.
10. Lastly, seal the paint with a few coats of water-based urethane and make sure it is totally dry and cured before you let anyone step on or touch your tile repair.

Not sure that you're up to the task of Denton tile repair, or just don't have time to get it done? No problem! Our repair professionals can handle anything from minor repairs to major installations, leaving you with beautifully restored floors and walls.

Count on the Pros at Mr. Handyman for Expert Tile Repair Services in Denton County

Whether you're in Denton, Ponder, Lantana, or another part of Denton County, you will have greater peace of mind knowing your residential or commercial property is in good hands with Mr. Handyman of Flower Mound, Lewisville and Denton.

Pick up the phone and give us a call today to schedule a convenient appointment, or to find out more about how our Denton handyman services could make your home more livable and functional.