Project details
Skill
1 out of 5EasyThe only tricky part is removing the cracked tile without damaging any of the surrounding tiles.
Cost
N/A
Estimated Time
1 to 2 hours
In this video, This Old House tile contractor Joe Ferrante explains how to replace a wall tile.
Steps for replacing wall tile
- Protect work area with canvas drop cloth
- Use a utility knife to score grout joints around the cracked tiles
- Loosen cracked tile using cold chisel and hammer; remove loose tiles
- Use trowel to scrape the wall clean of loose debris
- Dry-fit the new tile to the wall
- If necessary, use tile nippers to remove spacer lugs from edge of tile
- Smooth edges of tile by rubbing it with a rubbing stone
- Mix thinset mortar with latex additive
- Apply thinset to wall with trowel
- Spread thinset on back of tile and press tile to wall; repeat for all replacement tiles
- Wait 30 minutes, then mix tile grout, following manufacturer’s directions
- Use a rubber float to force grout into the joints between the tiles
- Apply grout with fingertip to fill hard-to-reach areas
- Wait 10 minutes, then clean the grout from the tile using a damp sponge
- Wait overnight, then buff off haze from the tile using a clean, dry sponge
Tools
Tools & Materials
- Utility knife
- cold chisel – 1/2-inch
- Hammer
- Tile nippers
- Concrete rub stone
- Pointed trowel
- Rubber grout float
- Sponge
- Bucket
- Safety glasses