How to Repair Cracked Floor Tiles

If one of your floor or counter tiles have cracked due to regular wear and tear or some unfortunate accident, you’re not stuck with the crack forever. Repairing a cracked tile is surprisingly easy, and you can even replace an individual tile if you'd rather not repair it. In this article, we’ll break down how to repair a cracked tile the professional way using 2-part epoxy, how to perform a quick fix with nail polish, and how to replace the tile entirely if you prefer.

[Edit]Things You Should Know

• Mix 2-part epoxy together and fill in the crack with it. After the epoxy cures, paint it to blend the repair in with your tile.
• For an easy and quick solution, find nail polish that matches the color of your tile and spread it over the crack repeatedly until the crack isn’t visible.
• Break the tile with a center punch and hammer then replace it using mortar and grout for a professional fix.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Epoxy for Hairline Cracks and Chips

1. Purchase a 2-part epoxy repair kit online or at a hardware store. Epoxy is a hardening mixture that you use to glue together 2 pieces of your cracked tile. While there are 1-part epoxy kits, the 2-part varieties tend to be higher quality and will hold your cracked tile together for longer.^[1]
   
   • High-quality 2-part epoxy kits sell for around $5–20. Just FYI, you only need 2 tiny tubes for most hairline cracks and chips. Don’t bother buying a commercial amount.
   • If you prefer, you can use an acrylic putty repair kit. This is a great option if your tile is multicolored, since these kits come with dyes you can mix to match complex tile patterns.^[2]
2. Clean the cracked tile with paper towels and a cleaning solution. Pour a little rubbing alcohol or Oxiclean onto 1 or 2 sheets of paper towel. Dampen the paper towel with water. Then, wipe the damp paper towel over the surface of the cracked tile until it’s clean. Scrub the tile with a soft-bristled brush when you’re done and rinse the surface with water.^[3]
   
   • Cleaning the cracked tile will remove any dust and grime and ensure that the epoxy sticks to the surface of the tile itself.
   • If you don’t have a dedicated soft-bristled brush, use an old toothbrush.
3. Mix the 2 epoxies together on a spare sheet of cardboard. Throw on some latex gloves. Use a popsicle stick to scrape out the epoxy mixture from each of the 2 bottles onto a sheet of cardboard. Stir the 2 parts of the epoxy together until they’re fully blended. This will start a chemical reaction that hardens the epoxy.^[4]
   
   • If you don’t have extra cardboard lying around, you can mix the epoxy on top of a strip of wax paper, a paper plate, or scrap wood.
   • Don’t take your time here. Once the epoxies are mixed, you’ve got about 15-30 minutes to finish the job before the epoxy starts to harden.
   • Many 2-part epoxies come with a specific applicator tool. Feel free to use that instead of a popsicle stick.
4. Smear the mixed epoxy along the hairline fracture in the tile. Take your popsicle stick and scoop up some of the mixed epoxy. Transfer the epoxy to the tile and carefully spread a thin layer of epoxy along the entire length of the crack. The epoxy will seep down into the crack. Make sure that you’ve also covered about on either side of the crack with epoxy, too.^[5]
   
   • Try not to get the epoxy over the rest of the un-cracked surface of the tile.
   • Wipe away any excess epoxy with a gloved finger or paper towel.
5. Wait 7 days or so for the epoxy to completely cure. The epoxy should start to harden and dry out in as little as 15-30 minutes. However, it takes quite a while to completely cure and harden. Read the instructions that came with your epoxy to see how long you need to wait for the epoxy to fully cure, or give it a week just to be on the safe side.^[6]
   
   • For the first 15-30 minutes of drying time, don’t touch the tile or set anything on top of it. Also, keep any pets and children in your home away from the tile.
6. Paint the epoxy to disguise the patch and blend it into your tile. It can be difficult to blend the repair entirely, but painting the epoxy with an even moderately-close color will really help disguise it. Find an oil-based paint that closely matches the color of the tile. Sand the epoxy and surrounding tile down with sandpaper to roughen it up a bit, then apply the paint with a small brush.^[7]
   
   • If your tile has a bit of a glossier look, use oil-based automotive paint instead.^[8]
   • This step is optional. If you find that the epoxy is already close to the color of your tiles, you may choose to leave it undyed.

[Edit]Nail Polish for Small Cracks

1. Find a nail polish that matches the color of your tile. If you’ve got a small crack you want to cover up quickly, there’s no need to mess around with fancy epoxies. Just find a bottle of nail polish that closely resembles the color of your tile.^[9]
   
   • This won’t be a perfect repair, but if there’s a small crack that’s been bugging you and you want a 5-minute repair, this is the way to go.
2. Clean the crack and the surrounding tile with soap and water. Load a sponge or rag up with warm water. Add a few squirts of dish soap to the sponge or rag and then lather the sponge or rag up. Scrub down the tile to clean it thoroughly. Wipe the tile dry and let it air out for a bit to give the moisture time to dissipate.^[10]
   
3. Paint a thin layer of fingernail polish along the crack. Use the small brush that comes with the nail polish to draw the liquid polish out of the metal jar and onto the surface of the tile. Smear the polish along the crack in your tile until the entire crack is covered. Also cover on either side of the crack to make sure that it seals.^[11]
   
4. Wait 15 minutes for the fingernail polish to dry. The nail polish needs to fully dry before you finish repairing the cracked tile. To see if the nail polish is dry after 15 minutes, lightly tap it with a finger. If your finger comes away dry and the nail polish doesn’t have the image of your fingerprint on it, the polish is dry.^[12]
   
   • If the nail polish is still damp after 15 minutes, wait an additional 15 minutes or so.
5. Continue to apply layers of polish until the tile looks right to you. If the crack looks good after 1 layer of polish, go ahead and call it there. If it leaves something to be desired though, go ahead and add another layer of polish. Wait for it to dry and then apply additional layers as needed. Keep it up until the tile looks cohesive, repaired, and consistent!^[13]
   
   • It may take 3-4 layers of nail polish to get the tile looking just right.
   • Remember, this probably isn’t going to be perfect. You’re probably going to be in “as good as it gets” territory after 5-6 layers or more.

[Edit]Tile Replacement for Extreme Damage

1. Find or purchase a new tile to replace the damaged one. If a repair job doesn’t look good enough for your liking or the crack is so bad that it’s not worth saving, you’re best off just replacing it. Ideally, you’ll have a spare tile or two left over from when the tile floor or counter was installed. If that’s not the case, take a picture of the tile you’re looking to replace and swing by a home improvement store or tile specialty store to buy a replacement.^[14]
   
   • The sales staff will also be able to help you find a matching style of tile.
   • If the home improvement store or tile shop doesn’t carry your tile, just purchase something similar.
2. Break and remove the tile carefully with a hammer and a center punch. Place the point of the center punch in the middle of the cracked tile and gently tap the back with your hammer until the tile fractures apart. Repeat this process and work your way out from the center of the tile. Use a chisel to pry out any chunks around the grout that are too small to break with the hammer.^[15]
   
   • Hammer with enough power to crack the tile but not so much force that you damage the wood or drywall beneath the tile. Also be careful not to damage any of the adjacent tiles!
   • If you don’t have a center punch, you can use a small chisel or file. If you don’t have any of those, cover the adjacent tiles in painter’s tape and tap the tile gently with the back of your hammer.
3. Scrape off any grout and mortar that remain beneath the tile. Grout and mortar most likely have adhered to the wood or drywall under the tile. Hold the blade of the chisel at a 20-degree angle (relative to the floor) and slide it along the space where you just pulled the tile out. Scrape until you’ve removed all of the grout and mortar.^[16]
   
   • It doesn’t need to be perfect. So long as the surface is flat enough for you to put the replacement tile in the opening and keep it mostly flush with the wall, you’re good to go.
4. Apply premixed mortar to the base of the replacement tile. Put on a pair of latex gloves. Scoop up some thin-set mortar with your putty knife. Use the edge of the putty knife to spread it evenly across the bottom of the tile in a thin layer.^[17]
   
   • Be careful not to get mortar on any of the other tiles. It’s hard to remove!
   • Use thin-set mortar. The thick-bed stuff is really hard to work with and it’s not designed for individual tile replacement.
   • You can also use any kind of waterproof adhesive if you prefer.
5. Set the new tile in place and apply gentle pressure. Hold the tile with your gloved hands so that it’s centered over the hole that you removed the original tile from. Set the tile in the hole and press down lightly to seat the tile in place.^[18]
   
   • If you apply too much pressure, excess mortar will be pressed out from beneath the tile and come up on its sides.
6. Apply grout around the new tile using a grout float. Spread a small dollop of grout onto the bottom of a grout float. Run the grout float across the surface of the newly installed tile. Continue to apply grout on and around the tile until the small gaps on all 4 sides of the tile are completely filled in.^[19]
   
   • A grout float is a large, flat tool with a handle that you can use to spread grout around. You can purchase one at a hardware store or home-improvement store.
   • Make sure to use a color of grout that matches the existing grout that surrounds other tiles.
7. Wipe the tiles clean with a damp rag. Before the grout dries, dampen a rag or old washcloth and use it to rub the new tile (and any other grout-covered tiles) clean. Leave the grout in the gaps surrounding the new tile undisturbed. Let the grout dry overnight, and your tile surface will be ready for use!^[20]
   
   • If you forget to clean off the tiles for a few hours, removing the grout will be a much harder job!

[Edit]Things You’ll Need

[Edit]Epoxy for Hairline Cracks and Chips

• 2-part epoxy kit or acrylic putty repair kit
• Rubbing alcohol or Oxiclean
• Soft-bristled brush or toothbrush
• Paper towels
• Popsicle stick or applicator
• Cardboard sheet
• Latex gloves.
• Paint

[Edit]Nail Polish for Small Cracks

• Nail polish

[Edit]Tile Replacement for Extreme Damage

• Center punch.
• Hammer
• Chisel
• Replacement tile
• Pre-mixed thin-set mortar
• Putty knife.
• Latex gloves
• Grout
• Grout float

[Edit]Tips

• Be aware that, although repairing a cracked tile is a quick and easy method, it’s only a temporary solution. The tile will likely crack again. Replacing the tile—although it’s more expensive and time-consuming—is a longer-lasting fix whether the tile is located in your floor, bathroom, or pool.

[Edit]References

1. ↑ https://www.rustoleum.com/-/media/DigitalEncyclopedia/Documents/RustoleumUSA/TDS/English/CBG/XIM/XIM-09_Tile_Doc_Gloss_White_Epoxy_Finish_TDS.ashx
2. ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/cracked-kitchen-tiles-try-a-patch/2019/06/07/ca61cda4-7be1-11e9-a5b3-34f3edf1351e_story.html
3. ↑ [v161452_b01]. 1 July 2020.
4. ↑ https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/153955O/3mtm-scotch-weldtm-epoxy-adhesive-2216-b-a.pdf
5. ↑ https://faq-ans.com/en/Q%26A/page=95c7da485ca83eac1f93aadfc8354f0b
6. ↑ https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/153955O/3mtm-scotch-weldtm-epoxy-adhesive-2216-b-a.pdf
7. ↑ [v161452_b01]. 1 July 2020.
8. ↑ https://ktar.com/story/5110583/how-to-repair-chipped-or-broken-tile-and-replace-grout/
9. ↑ https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/nail-polish-hacks-6-household-fixes-you-can-repair-with-polish-240241
10. ↑ https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/nail-polish-hacks-6-household-fixes-you-can-repair-with-polish-240241
11. ↑ https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/nail-polish-hacks-6-household-fixes-you-can-repair-with-polish-240241
12. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/nails/a36790034/how-long-nail-polish-dry/
13. ↑ https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/nail-polish-hacks-6-household-fixes-you-can-repair-with-polish-240241
14. ↑ [v161452_b01]. 1 July 2020.
15. ↑ [v161452_b01]. 1 July 2020.
16. ↑ [v161452_b01]. 1 July 2020.
17. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/2327-how-to-install-ceramic-tile/
18. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/2327-how-to-install-ceramic-tile/
19. ↑ [v161452_b01]. 1 July 2020.
20. ↑ [v161452_b01]. 1 July 2020.