Replacing one tile on a wall..

[Colin freeserve]

Recently finished a job for a customer - they have noticed that one of the tiles in the shower area is cracked - don't know how this could have happened - wall movement? I would certainly have noticed if it was cracked through the glaze when I put it up..

The tiles are 600 x 300mm - big!!

They haven't even used the shower yet...

So best way to replace - I have one spare..

My thoughts are to:

Remove grout surrounding tile. Cut using rotozip diamond blade (smallish diameter) around circumference of tile - say 10mm from edge (to reduce any stress on bordering tiles when using hammer & chisel later) Further cut across tile to about 100mm square sections Remove tile using small chisel and hammer

Any better suggestions - I don't want to damage any surrounding tiles.

Regards Colin

[BigWallop]

Criss Cross some selotape over the cracked tile in a union jack type pattern, then tap the centre of it with a hammer until it goes into pieces which you can pick out the space with an old chisel. Once you've got the tile out of the space you can clean the adhesive off with a scraper until you get back to the original surface and apply more adhesive and fit the new tile. Remember to allow it to cure off before re-grouting around it.

[Scott Mills]

you wish... you broke it but didn't notice :) or they have...

I've done a couple of floor tiles - quite simple really. Dig the grout and take a hammer to it. Tidy up with a scraper and remove all adhesive. I would cover the wall tile with sticky back plastic before subjecting it to some hammer love so you don't get showered with bits.

I have also heard the solution (although this was for removing a mirror which was stuck mirror adhesive) of running cheese wire behind it and "cutting" it from the wall, presumably mirror adhesive is rubbery though?

Scott

[ColinMcK]

Recently finished a job for a customer - they have noticed that one of the tiles in the shower area is cracked - don't know how this could have happened - wall movement? I would certainly have noticed if it was cracked through the glaze when I put it up..

The tiles are 600 x 300mm - big!!

They haven't even used the shower yet...

So best way to replace - I have one spare..

My thoughts are to:

Remove grout surrounding tile. Cut using rotozip diamond blade (smallish diameter) around circumference of tile - say 10mm from edge (to reduce any stress on bordering tiles when using hammer & chisel later) Further cut across tile to about 100mm square sections Remove tile using small chisel and hammer

Any better suggestions - I don't want to damage any surrounding tiles.

Regards Colin

[Colin freeserve]

If I had noticed I wouldn't have left it - certainly not in a showering area. My view is that if the tile was cracked when I put it up the crack would have opened up when pushing it into place - and I would have noticed that! The area does have a solid wall diagonally across the wall, the remainder is partition - the bathroom is like a large dormer built on an old farmhouse.

The customer was happy to leave it - I said no, as I know the line although invisible at the moment would end up looking black - and would be porous.

Ta for advice

Colin

[Set Square]

Welcome aboard - but please develop the *good* habit of posting your replies at the *bottom* of the thread rather than the *top*. [I have moved your reply down to where it *should* have been to start with.]

Since Outlook Express doesn't make it easy to bottom post by default, many OE users find it convenient to install a freebie called OE-Quotefix which does the business.

[Lurch]

On Wed, 5 May 2004 21:47:45 +0100, in uk.d-i-y "Set Square" strung together this:

And, for both of you, snip excessive text from the thread.

[Malcolm Race]

Did one a couple of years ago - 6 inch square. Drilled a fewholes around the centre and used these to take the centre out with a small bolster. Then took the rest of the tile out, cleaned out the grout and ahesive on the wall and Richard is your mothers brother

Malcolm

[Ziggy]

Do you mean Robert? (Or am I missing something?)

[Mike Faithfull]

Richard is your mother's brother, Robert??

Never mind, just go for it my son - the world is your lobster.

[Set Square]

Agreed! [The only reason I didn't snip the message before replying was because it made the point about top/bottom posting clearer by having the whole thread visible].