Dinamitek presents the definitive guide to removing and replacing broken tiles.

Everything you need to know about replacing broken tiles with Dinamitek

Dinamitek presents a guide on how to replace a broken tile .
In this article, we'll focus on the most delicate part: REMOVING the broken tile . This step must be performed with great caution, as the risk of damaging all the surrounding tiles is high, and the cost of the operation and maintenance time would increase dramatically, turning the job into a real home improvement project.

It's helpful to cover the surface underneath with a sheet to catch and protect it if you need to remove a tile from the wall, so as not to damage the floor and to speed up the final cleaning process.

The techniques that can be adopted to detach the broken tile are mainly 2

1. using a multi-tool
2. using a drill

DETACH THE BROKEN TILE WITH THE MULTIFUNCTIONAL TOOL

Using a multifunction tool, removing a tile is really simple. Remember to wear a mask to protect your breathing and use a vacuum cleaner to limit dust. Fit the appropriate cutting disc and follow the tile joint around the entire perimeter . You'll begin separating the tile from the cement adhesive. Then , also make the X-shaped cut along the tile's diagonals . Once these cuts are made, a well-placed blow with a flat-tipped chisel and mallet in the center of the tile (or along the fracture line) will suffice to see only the tile you need to replace fall out.

Change the tool to your multifunction tool and proceed to smooth the newly freed surface . Proceed carefully and slowly to prepare the area where you will be installing the new tile.

I want to see the MULTIFUNCTION range

The new tile needs to be coated with mastic on the back before it can be glued. Insert the new tile and press until it is perfectly aligned with the existing tiles. The surface, when finished, must be perfectly smooth. This operation must be done quickly, because if the mastic dries, you will not be able to move and reposition the tile . Now you can remove the excess glue with a sponge. Now all that remains is to fill the joints with cement of the appropriate color . You can clean the tile of excess cement with a damp cloth, but only if you proceed before it dries.

DETACH THE BROKEN TILE WITH THE DRILL

Use a drill with a 4 or 6 mm bit to make a series of holes along the edge of the tile , creating fracture points that you will use to split the tile with a flat-tipped chisel and mallet. This perimeter must be connected, through other holes in a line, to the center of the tile, where you will concentrate a series of closely spaced holes . Once you have finished creating the groove, you can proceed with hammering. Strike from the center outwards . With each blow of the mallet, you will see tile debris fall away, only the tile you intended to split. Proceed with great caution, however , even if the groove you have marked will help you finish the job without causing damage.

I want to see the range of DRILLS

Now that you've removed the tile, you need to completely smooth the surface . With a spatula and a little patience, you'll achieve a good result. Now that you've removed all the debris and dust, you can proceed with the new mortar . It's better to use a small amount and then add more if necessary, rather than starting with a large amount and making a mess. Too much mortar leads to two main problems:

• The tile does not fit completely into its seat and remains more protruding
• The mortar comes out all over the edges, dirtying the entire surface

Once you've positioned the tile correctly (you can use a rubber mallet and a wooden ledge to tap it into place) and cleaned off any excess mortar, all that's left to do is cement the newly installed tile . Obviously, you need to recreate the correct color of the cement to "hide" the broken tile and blend it into the wall.

Do it yourself to replace broken tiles with Dinamitek