Annoying cracked tile - how to replace

[racey1979]

Hi all, I have almost completed my bathroom project, which has been a complete back to bare brick renovation. New plumbing, sub floor, electrics, everything. It's fIrst bathroom I've ever done, and the first time I have ever tiled and I'm really pleased with the result other than this one cracked tile. You'll notice that I've done a wet room style floor in my shower, but the pattern is just in that space, and the rest of the floor tiles are laid around that. The tiles in the shower are non-slip, where as the rest of the room they aren't. The tile that has cracked is notched, an L shape if you like, so I've obviously created a weak spot in the corner where I cut it. It has a 18mm plywood floor, then a 6mm tile backer board underneath, and I used S1 flexible adhesive. My plan is to remove the shower screen, and pull up the broken tile. I have access to engineering materials and a lazer cutter, so I was going to remove the backer board, and replace it with a 6mm steel plate, as I think I just might get this problem again. And when I cut the new tile, don't cut it to a point, try and put a radius there so it not a weak spot (or as weak) for a crack to form. Does this sound like a reasonable plan ? And if anyone has any tips how to pull the tile up WITHOUT damaging the surrounding tiles I would appreciate the help. Many thanks. ANDY

 

[foxhole]

Drill tile in centre to create a hole you can then work from towards edge .How thick are tiles?

 

[racey1979]

Drill tile in centre to create a hole you can then work from towards edge .How thick are tiles?

10mm porcelain, thank you.

 

[foxhole]

10mm porcelain, thank you.

They should be really tough , difficult to break with a hammer, surprised you could crack one unless that corner is humped.

 

[racey1979]

They should be really tough , difficult to break with a hammer, surprised you could crack one unless that corner is humped.

Sorry, they are 8mm. I was going to drill an hole like you said, then use SDS drill (gently) on hammer with a pointy chisel bit to break it up and hopefully get it all up without damaging the others.

 

[Lower]

Steel will expand and contract with temperature much more than wood and backer board and tile adhesive won’t bond to it.

You‘ve probably not created an even bed of adhesive for the cracked tile so it wasn’t supported properly and hence cracked.

 

[racey1979]

Steel will expand and contract with temperature much more than wood and backer board and tile adhesive won’t bond to it.

You‘ve probably not created an even bed of adhesive for the cracked tile so it wasn’t supported properly and hence cracked.

Okay thanks, I'm going to order some S2 adhesive to do the job, and perhaps use 6mm hardie backer/cement board rather than the foam core backer board. And scrap the steel plate idea.