Flower Mound Tile Repair Or Replacement?
Making the right call for repair versus replacement depends on various factors because the options that come with broken tiles are endless. In general, if you’re unsure about which type of service you need, consider the following:
- How severe is the damage?
- How old is your existing tile system?
- Do you have enough spare tiles of the same style to replace the damaged ones?
- Are you planning to renovate any time soon?
These factors play a huge role in determining the next step, especially when taking into account the causes of the damage.
What Problems Can You Avoid with Mr. Handyman’s Services for Tile Repair in Flower Mound?
Without prompt, professional tile repair at the first sign of damage, you may find yourself facing more serious problems that are more difficult to fix. If you suspect you may need tile repair in Flower Mound or a nearby area, don’t hesitate to call in the experts. Mr. Handyman can help you avoid problems like:
- Worsening Chips or Cracks in Tiles and Grout: These incidents often happen due to impacts, changes of temperatures or cracks in the substrate, and they will only get worse over time. Your best friend here will be epoxy filler and epoxy grout. Epoxy is made of resins, plasticizers, and hardeners but is still considered an organic compound that works perfectly for repairs. It can effectively repair even wider cracks but often, replacing a severely cracked piece and applying a new grout line is the better option.
- Surface Damage (Stains): As a highly porous material, ceramic can absorb water unless you seal the surface. It’s a task that must be repeated at least once every five years; otherwise, you may experience staining or grout discoloration that could deteriorate and lead to water damage.
- Water Damage: It’s not always easy to determine water damage itself unless you keep an eye out for severe cracks or broken grout. In severe cases, tile sheets will start to become loose, and grout joints become discolored or start to swell. If this happens to your shower wall, you might have a rotting backer board which is installed just underneath your tile. Water damage is one of the most severe types of damage and usually requires a full replacement service. The same can happen to your subfloors if surface damage goes undetected.
Why Choose Mr. Handyman for Tile Repair in Flower Mound, TX?
As your local handyman team, the skilled experts at Mr. Handyman are dedicated to providing the highest quality work and customer service for every single project you need completed, and especially for tile repairs, where getting the results you want is so much easier with an experienced handyman.
Mr. Handyman of Flower Mound, Lewisville and Denton will guide you through every step of your tile repairs, from the initial inspection, to determining the best option for repairs, to the final cleanup. When you choose Mr. Handyman for your tile repairs in Flower Mound, you know you’re getting the exceptional service and outstanding results that you need.
Some of the benefits of choosing Mr. Handyman include:
- Trustworthy, reliable technicians
- Talented, multi-skilled professionals
- A commitment to delivering safe service
- Fully insured and highly experienced handymen
- Full clean-up for all services
- Guaranteed workmanship
If you need to know more about Mr. Handyman’s services for tile repair in Flower Mound, or you have other questions you would like to ask, call our friendly team. Or, take a look at our answers to a few of the most commonly asked questions about tile repair below.
Flower Mound Tile Repair Services—FAQs
WHAT CAUSES DAMAGED TILE?
Repairs are inevitable in every household, even if you keep up with routine maintenance. But there will always be a tiny area that you miss or fail to detect, or sometimes, it doesn’t appear to be so bad until disaster strikes.
You may over-rely on your tile installation and not pay close attention to hairline cracks. But your Flower Mound tile repair technician recommends addressing broken tiles or crumbling grout lines immediately to prevent water damage.
The most common causes that call for Flower Mound tile repair services include:
- Heavy Furniture: Some homeowners have equipped their home’s entire floor with either porcelain or natural stone tiles. Both are dense, durable, and not to mention, beautiful. Despite their hardness and density, it’s easy to overestimate their weight-bearing capacity. Your local Flower Mound tile repair expert suggests evaluating your desired flooring type’s force value before installation. Not many property owners in Flower Mound are aware, but when laying tiles, it has to be compliant with a building standard. Tile flooring has to be able to bear at least 250 lbs of surface impact. Most high-quality tile floors can bear over 400 lbs, but you should still think twice before placing that 750-pound piano.
- Home Settling: This is a natural event of shifting soil during which your home’s foundation falls into place. Foundation cracks typically occur on interior and exterior walls but home settling can also impact your floors and cause them to shift. In this case, tile floors are susceptible to cracks if home settling causes them to bow or sink.
- Extreme Temperatures: Both ceramic and porcelain are designed to be impervious and temperature-resistant. Though ceramic can fail to resist extreme temperatures if its protective surface coating wears off, or the entire system was not well installed to begin with.
- Poor Installation: It’s easy for your Flower Mound tile repair technician to identify badly installed ceramic, porcelain, stone, or glass tile. But you are more likely to witness the damage first, from crooked lines, to uneven surfaces, to poorly fitted sheets and excess grout.
- Abrasive Cleaning Products: There is a list of chemical cleaners that cause protective coatings and finishes to wear out faster. That’s because cleaners like bleach are caustic and reactive. Since grout is primarily made of organic materials, it stands no chance against harsh chemicals. If your grout joints appear to be crumbling or change into a dark color, you will need immediate grout and tile repair. Flower Mound, TX homeowners may choose tile because it’s one of the few flooring installations that can best handle wet mops. However, instead of using strong products, we recommend using mild soap for cleaning.
HOW DO I AVOID NEEDING TILE REPAIRS?
Flower Mound, TX property owners can save themselves a lot of headache if they start by hiring the right team for tile installation. Mr. Handyman has installed and replaced new tiles for multiple homeowners and business owners. And every three to five years, we can meet your needs for general maintenance and resealing too. This is the best way to steer clear of tile repairs. Flower Mound, TX technicians can also offer an additional surface treatment like glazing, which is either applying liquid glass or enamel coating to make surfaces fully water-resistant. For safety reasons, our Flower Mound tile repair professional recommends glazing shower walls, countertops, and backsplashes because on floors, it could be a slip hazard. But overall, the glazing process will add density and thickness to your overall tile system.
Overall, the best way to dodge repairs is to be consistent with your maintenance, but if maintenance is a pet peeve, we fully recommend opting for porcelain flooring and walls (with glazing).
WHAT ARE YOUR DIY TIPS FOR TILE REPAIR IN FLOWER MOUND, TX?
Before you commence any type of repairs, it’s important that you are aware of the cause of the damage and that you’re not dealing with any undetected underlying problems that require professional help.
When determined to conduct the repairs on your own, remember to get all the necessary safety equipment, like safety glasses and a dust mask. It’s also worth equipping yourself with a tile repair kit to be prepared for smaller types of damage.
Whether you’re repairing hairline cracks or other small cracks on a tile sheet, always clean the surface with a damp sponge and give it some time to dry. If the crack is on the shower wall, it likely has some limescale buildup. In that case, mix vinegar with lemon juice to get that crusty film off.
Stick some painter’s tape on the grout lines to protect them from the next step. Safely apply a small line of epoxy filler to the crack and smoothen it out. Depending on the manufacturer’s instructions, you may need to apply a second coat. When dry, sand off any ridges, and it’s done. The joy of using epoxy is that it doesn’t need to be sealed.
When doing grout repair, it’s a similar process, except that you need to remove old grout first before you go start your repair. Use a utility knife to scrape off the old grout but be careful not to scratch your tile sheets. Once removed, use a damp rag to wipe off any crumbs and dirt. Next, get your epoxy grout ready! While epoxy grout is best for repairs, you can also use them during installations. It’s the strongest grout there is and highly resistant to water, unlike its unsanded counterparts. Once applied, it will dry faster than other grout types.
Tip: If preferred, apply some painter’s tape on your tile sheets to save yourself some cleaning afterward. Otherwise, you may need a scrub pad to clean off the residue.
DO YOU OFFER POOL TILE REPAIR?
Flower Mound, TX property owners can certainly count on our expert team to repair all kinds of outdoor tile, even pool tile! One major consideration for pools is to install tiles correctly from the start, using high-quality materials, because they will be underwater and exposed to chlorine most of the time. As a chemical element, it doesn’t only irritate humans but can also affect materials. Most pools are built using epoxy grout and lots of silicone caulk for sealing gaps and filling spaces. Our Flower Mound tile repair technicians recommend an inspection service with our team before you start filling your private or public pool.
CERAMIC VS. PORCELAIN—WHICH REQUIRES THE LEAST REPAIRS?
This greatly depends on how well either is maintained, and we admit that ceramic does require more maintenance than porcelain, because porcelain receives an additional heat treatment which makes the whole structure denser and more durable. Unlike ceramic, porcelain also has a lower moisture content, which means that ceramic needs routine surface sealing to stay intact. As long as that’s achieved, it can provide you with the same qualities as porcelain and last for over 50 years while handling heavy foot traffic.
In terms of impacts, porcelain may be more durable, offering a stronger force value. But if you were to apply an enamel coating on ceramic, it could offer a similar strength as porcelain. Although porcelain is fairly weather-resistant and also ideal for outdoor settings, it can suffer from damage caused by freezing temperatures when not correctly installed. If you notice surface cracks, our Flower Mound tile repair team will take additional measures to check whether you might need a replacement instead.
To help you further weigh out the pros and cons, porcelain has a higher upfront cost which makes ceramic more cost-effective. Ceramic can also be easier to install, as you would typically use unsanded grout. Since porcelain is more expensive, epoxy grout is preferred to give the whole tile surface and structure more strength, durability, and resilience. When installed with epoxy, no sealing is required.
Need For Tile Repair in Flower Mound TX?
We have a list of popular Flower Mound handyman services and taking care of all things related to tile is one of them. Whether you need basic tile repairs or a full bathroom remodel, our handyman service professionals are here to help. From a wide variety of installations to repairs for a single crack in your tile floor, you can count on Mr. Handyman.
We are proud to provide results like those above for our neighbors, whom we view as family because you are the reason why we’re here. We care about your safety and comfort in your home and want to ensure it will stay this way for many years to come. Are you in Flower Mound or a nearby community like Denton, Argyle, or Ponder? Then you can rely on the courteous team at Mr. Handyman.
Whether you need fence repair, weather stripping, or siding replacement, call our friendly customer service reps today and let Mr. Handyman of Flower Mound, Lewisville and Denton make a difference.