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Repairs
We offer all types of repairs for tile, clay, granite
and marble.
Tub and Showers
Most commonly we repair the bottom 3 or 4
rows of shower and tub wall tile. A repair in a shower usually
consists of removing a section of tile and the old wall board
beneath it due to rot from water wicking off the tub or the shower
floor. The wall board, if not installed properly, will wick water
like a sponge. Unfortunately, most shower and tub wall board was not
installed properly in the first place. The signs of the wall board
deteriorating is the grout becomes discolored and you can not seem
to clean it. Eventually the walls will become spongy and tiles will
fall off. All the caulking and re-grouting in the world will not
solve the problem.
To correct this problem, we remove the old
tile and wall board and clean the studs. Then we install new
concrete backer-board in the place of the wall board. Concrete
backer-board, sometimes referred to as wonder board, is water proof.
Finally we re-tile the damaged section, ready for years of faithful
service.
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This is a common
problem caused by the drywall "wicking". It starts by your
grout looking like it is mildewing and you can not seem to
clean it. The problem is, the drywall is wet and beginning
to "bleed" through the grout.
You must remove the tile and
drywall and replace it with a cement backer, then retile.
Here we removed a 4" wall tile and replaced it with a more modern 6" wall tile. Notice the marble corner shelf that is great
for your shampoo bottles. |
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From This |
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To This |
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| The bottom 3 rows are usually all that needs replacing. |
The customer wanted a more modern look so we replaced
all the 4" x 4" tile with a 6" x 6". |
Just need to mount the new soap dish and we're done. |
Floor Tile
The best way to repair loose
floor tiles is to remove and replace them with new
tiles. However, when replacement tiles are not
available, it is possible to bond loose tiles by
injecting a liquid bonding material into
strategically drilled holes in the grout lines
between tiles. The activated bonding material is
allowed to cure and the holes re-grouted.
In most cases, damaged tiles should
be replaced. Hopefully you saved some extra tiles from the
original installation to make repairs. If you have a common
tile, it may possible to buy new pieces a few years after
installation, though there may be some slight color
variations. If you do not have spare tiles, it might be
possible to lay out a pattern combining some new tiles with
the old tiles to look nicely integrated.
Repairing tile is a cumbersome job that can
be done by the average homeowner, but it is a messy, time consuming, dirty job.
Professionals can do your repairs in a quick and timely manner and
it will save you the pain of doing it yourself. If you attempt to do
it yourself, WEAR PROTECTIVE GOGGLES AND
GLOVES.
Cracks in your Floors
If you notice a line of cracked tile running
through your floor, chances are the concrete under the flooring has
developed a crack. The flooring must be removed and a crack
suppression membrane must be installed before replacing the tile.
Otherwise the crack will reappear in the future. In new
installations you should always treat any floor cracks in the
concrete before tiling or the crack will simply break the tile
above.
Grout
Chances are, we've all heard about
re-grouting your tile. It simply just isn't that easy. Grout is not
waterproof and adheres poorly to existing grout. This quick fix is
rarely effective, long term. Where the tile meets the floor, or any
other opposing angle, it is best to caulk that joint with a good
quality mold resistant caulk.
Grout Staining
Today there are several options for changing the color of
your existing grout and most are acceptable. Proper preparation is required for
long lasting results.
All Others
If your floor, wall or counter tops need
repairing, call or e-mail us to see if we can help. Chances are, we
can.
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