How can I repair or replace a cracked floor tile?

Question

My kitchen floor has been down 4 years and suddenly one of the tiles has cracked. Either it happened by itself (movement between extension and old house? Or someone dropped something very heavy and didn't own up to it (I have dropped a number of heavy duty IKEA glasses and they lose every time!)

So could could get someone to replace the tile (i have spare) but worried the grout won't look the same (colour and spacing//alignment).

Is there a repair I can do to minimise the visibility of the crack? And prevent it getting worse? (Which I think it has) Filler?

Answer 1

I have replaced a few cracked tiles. I saved extra tile from the original installation. On my concrete floor, a chisel works best to remove old cement and grout. Any grinding make a remarkable amount of dust. However, I would not do the work to replace the tile shown. Maybe a small rug?

Answer 2

Replacement is possible and the best solution. If the tiles you have are left over from the original install, sizing won't be an issue. Your grout has aged, so there will be a color difference between old and new.

I wouldn't hire someone to replace one tile unless you've got a little extra money burning a hole in your pocket.

They make grout removal tools, tho they won't be necessary if you break up the broken tile first. A painters 5 in 1 tool can then be used to chip/scrape away the remaining grout. You'll also need to remove some of the old mastic under the old tile, I'd use an angle grinder with a diamond blade.

Answer 3

The crack doesn't look to bad. I've never repaired tile but give it a shot.

Determine if it's porcelain or ceramic tile. Then look on amazon for a repair kit. Go to home depot or lowes and buy a similar looking tile, crack it, and try the repair kit on it. If the repair looks decent, try the repair.