What You Should Know About Oklahoma City Tile Repair

Tools and equipment commonly used for tile repair in Oklahoma City sitting on a tile floor in the process of having a single tile replaced.
When considering flooring type for any home, tile is a stylish choice. It is on the higher end of options, compared to materials such as carpet and laminate flooring. It’s sure to light up any home and impress visitors to your home.

Tile can match any home atmosphere because there is such a wide variety of choices available in Oklahoma City. There are many options when considering color scheme, size, shape, texture, material, and style, so you can spice up your home any way you want with a new installation. Tile flooring may be attractive, but it will be damaged from chips or cracks. For smaller-scale jobs, you can take it upon yourself to try Oklahoma City tile repair. But this type of work does require a certain level of skill and experience.

For more serious damage, it’s a good idea to get professional tile repair services from your local Oklahoma City handyman, which can save on time and money. Repair processes may look easy, but they require practiced hands. The team of service professionals with Mr. Handyman of North Oklahoma City and Edmond has plenty of experience with tile repair and installation, and we can get your floors or walls looking as good as new again, quickly and effectively.

Why It’s Important to Get Oklahoma City Tile Repair Services

Dealing with broken floor tiles is dangerous, so you must make sure you handle it carefully to avoid further damage or possible injury. Ensuring safe environments for everyone in the home is of utmost importance. Having kids around your home during these times could be hazardous as they may not know proper hazard protocol and how to avoid possible danger.

Attempting repairs on your tile floors on your own may take up too much of your time, depending on how severe it looks. That’s why you should hire one of our experienced tile installation experts, who can help you out with all your Oklahoma City tile repair needs. When working with us, you get a proper job done so there’s no need for a follow-up visit.

What Happens Without Oklahoma City Tile Repair?

The consequences for leaving damaged tile surfaces unattended will range from future deterioration to possible injury that may affect you or your family. Getting Oklahoma City tile repair or replacement services done when necessary is very important to avoid issues like the following:

Unattractive Appearance

When you have guests over at your home, your flooring may serve as a conversation piece for the whole room—if it’s in great shape and looking its best. Stumbling upon broken or loose tiles is not an appealing thing when showing off your house. Damage around your flooring, whether it be cracked ceramic or discolored bathroom floor grout, may ruin some of the aesthetics of your home.

Risk of Injury

As mentioned above, leaving broken tile unattended could cause injuries. The risks may include tripping on uneven surfaces or cutting your foot on the jagged edge of a broken piece. This is particularly a problem with small children or pets in the house who could injure a little foot or paw.

Future Deterioration

At first glance, you may not think much of the damage that your floors have sustained. However, as time goes on, tiny chips in your flooring may turn into larger cracks, which can result in pieces coming apart. This also ties in with possible water damage that your flooring is susceptible to when your subfloor is exposed. Wood rot in your subfloor or joists will cause them to soften and crumble, creating serious structural problems. Damaged ceilings on the level below from softened, stained drywall. Mildew growth inside the floor can lower your indoor air quality. Dealing with all these issues is very important when wanting to stop further damage downwind.

Taking Oklahoma City Tile Repair Into Your Own Hands

With proper research, time commitment, and a good plan, you will have everything you need to start with your replacement project. If you feel confident in your abilities, you can attempt Oklahoma City tile repair yourself. Here are our steps to follow for tile repair to replace one broken piece.

Prepare Yourself

When dealing with physical labor, an important factor is ensuring personal safety. It’s important to make sure all your personal protective equipment is accounted for, especially when there are sharp edges involved that may cause injury. Here’s some safety gear you should consider using during your Oklahoma City tile repair project:

Gloves ensure safe handling of broken tiles so there’s no risk of cut fingers
A face mask helps avoid dust inhalation as removal is a messy process
Wearing protective eyewear such as safety goggles will prevent the possibility of dust in your eyes—or worse, a shard of ceramic tile
Knee pads or a pair of work pants will help avoid any scraping or cuts during work
Make sure your work area is well ventilated by an open window to avoid dust build-up

Getting Your Gloves Dirty

Now that all precautions are accounted for, we can dig into the first step of Oklahoma City tile repair, which is getting that broken piece out of your surface. There are plenty of different ways we can go about removing broken pieces. Removing it from the center outwards can make the job a lot easier. Here are the steps to get the old piece up and out:

Use a hammer to carefully break the damaged piece into smaller chunks for easier removal. Covering the piece with a cloth before hammering will cut down on dust and help you avoid flying shards.
Using a chisel, pry the broken pieces off. This can be dangerous, so don't rush yourself. Take the time you need to avoid gouging the surface underneath, and take extra care around the grout joints to avoid damaging surrounding tiles.
Use a hammer along with a chisel to dig out more sunken flooring. Be careful to avoid digging into the subfloor or substrate (you don't want to end up needing drywall repair), or damage adjacent tile.
Once all the damaged pieces are out, remove all grout surrounding the empty spot using a grout saw. Use a hammer and chisel to carefully remove all adhesive along with old grout.
Now that all materials are loosened up, it’s time to clean up the debris. The easiest way to do that is with a wet-dry vacuum.
After clearing it away, wipe up any remnants with a damp cloth to get deep into every crack a wet-dry vacuum can’t reach and let the area dry out completely.

Setting Up New Tile

Once an empty spot is cleaned and cleared of all dust, moisture, and debris, it’s time to start setting mortar and installing a new piece with fresh grout. It can be difficult to get perfect results with this part of the Oklahoma City tile repair process, so take your time. Whether you're using a tile repair kit or using your own tools and supplies, here is everything you'll need to do to finish off your tile repair project:

Use your trowel to apply a layer of thinset mortar to the space where your new piece will be placed.
With the notched edge of your trowel, smooth the mortar into even ridges.
Apply thinset mortar to the back of your spare tiles and smooth it into ridges as well.
Carefully bring a replacement tile over and press it down softly, holding it even and parallel to the surface so it sets evenly.
While applying pressure, make sure that both tile's angle and height line up with tiles around it so it sets properly and isn’t off-kilter compared to everything else.
Let the mortar dry completely, which may take as long as 24 to 48 hours. Check the package instructions for recommended drying times.
After the mortar dries, it’s time to apply that fresh grout, filling in edges for the new tile with a rubber grout float. Be sure to look for color-matched grout, as nobody wants mismatching color schemes. Test the grout out beforehand to ensure you have a perfect match, and keep some extra product on hand in case you incur grout damage that needs repairing in the future.
The grout should require 15 to 20 minutes to settle and set. You can tell when the grout is no longer sticky or tacky to the touch.
After removing excess grout with a damp sponge, use that same sponge in light small circles to smooth out the grout, to stop any sharp edges from digging into feet.
Once the grout fully dries hours later, buffing your new tile should be your next step to make it look brand-new.
Next, you may want to apply a grout sealer to stop any moisture from leaking into the seams, and waiting for it to dry. Grout sealing may not be necessary in areas that are not likely to be exposed to moisture, but it’s a good idea in a shower or anywhere else that is frequently touched by water.
Finally, if the piece you are replacing happens to be at the edge of an installation instead of in the middle, you may need to put a bead of caulk at the edge where the tile meets another type of material such as drywall or a bathtub. Apply silicone rubber adhesive caulk in a smooth line and wipe off any excess caulk at the ends.

How To Handle Small Damage with Tile Repair Methods:

If the damage is on a smaller scale, calling our professional team members may not be necessary. For small chips or hairline ceramic tile cracks, you can likely take care of Oklahoma City tile repair yourself with this ceramic tile repair guide. Supplies you will need include:

A damp sponge/soapy cloth for cleaning off dust or excess debris
White or clear repair epoxy
Some painter’s tape to ensure you are working within the lines
A leveling tool such as a craft stick or even a toothpick for application
Fine-grit sandpaper or a sanding sponge for an evening out the final product
Paint that matches the color of your surface
A small paintbrush

Now that you have all the supplies with you, it’s time we get started on our Oklahoma City tile repair project. This short guide includes all detailed instructions necessary when dealing with smaller scale damage repair:

Before you start any repairs, you must conduct tile grout cleaning using a mild detergent or vinegar and water solution to clear away dust, grease and any other debris. Disregarding this step causes adverse effects when you are applying the epoxy.
Pour out a small amount of epoxy on a piece of cardboard or paper plate, and use your leveling tool to slightly overfill the broken parts with epoxy.
Smooth it out as much as you can, feathering the edges to blend it in with your surface texture.
After waiting for the epoxy to cure, you then should use an oil-based paint and paint over top of the epoxy. Make sure that you match the color of the paint used. If you’re not certain, test it out on an inconspicuous area first.
Once the paint has completely dried, you must apply a urethane sealer on top of the repaired area, covering where you painted. This will protect the paint from being washed away, chipped or cracked over time.
Give the area at least 24 hours before you walk on or touch your finished product.

Oklahoma City Tile Repair Will Be Set in Stone When Working With Mr. Handyman

For all Oklahoma City tile repair projects and other reliable handyman services, you can count on experienced workmanship and outstanding customer care from the team of renovation pros at Mr. Handyman of North Oklahoma City and Edmond. All of our handyman are industry professionals and have gone through an extensive background check program so that you'll feel safe having them in your home. No matter what repairs, maintenance tasks, or improvements you need done, we have the expertise, knowledge, and customer service skills to make repairs easy and worry-free, helping floors get back their original shine. Whether you have slate, natural stone, vinyl, glass, or ceramic tile, with all the knowledge we have at our disposal, we will offer answers to any questions you may have about your wall and floor tile repair needs.

To get started, call us and talk with one of our experienced team members to make a service request for a convenient appointment time. We look forward to covering all your renovation needs in Oklahoma City and nearby communities such as Edmond.