Fixing loose floor tiles

[steveolevi]

I have 20 or so loose floor tiles (60cm x60cm ) which I used the marble test to locate (drop marble on a tile and if it has a really hollow sound and no bounce then the tile has become dislodged from the floor. A solid bounce and sound means a properly adhering tile) My local worker wants to break them all out and re set new tile. A) I'll never get the same color match what a loud and messy project.

I have seen some spray/inject products that will use a small hole in the gout or corner of a tile and inject a foamy or silicone type liquid which fills voids and "resticks" floor tiles. I can't find it anywhere in Chiang Mai. All the tile shops say "replace the tiles"

[moench]

Ahu ,this are normal floor tile ,that mean you have a gap between your tile ,so remove the grout seal at the gap and lift the tile carefully out, clean this opening,apply new glue and put the same tile back again ,close the gap between . And so one by one.

I use to test the tils for hollow with a simple wood stick. With your method I need many days to check

[Morakot]

the marble test

Not sure if this the correct test for this situation?

What are the readings from the "visual-inspection test" and the "walking-across test"?

Edited March 6, 2014 by Morakot

[rawhod]

We had a similar problem with the bedroom floor tiles. The tiler had used some sort of special tile adhesive which left an un-stuck region around the edges of the tiles. They had a hollow sound when tapped and some were obviously loose but were still retained by the grout.

Being "stingy" and a DIY'er, I dug out the grout using a hacksaw blade and carefully lifted all the offending tiles. I chipped out the old adhesive, which sometimes came out as a complete slab, and re cemented the original tiles back down.

It was time consuming, but it was a project with a successful outcome.

[steveolevi]

Being "stingy" and a DIY'er, I dug out the grout using a hacksaw blade and carefully lifted all the offending tiles. I chipped out the old adhesive, which sometimes came out as a complete slab, and re cemented the original tiles back down.

What did you use as "cement" when you re-cemented the tiles back dow? Was is regular cement? or grout? or what kind of adhesive?

[rawhod]

Being "stingy" and a DIY'er, I dug out the grout using a hacksaw blade and carefully lifted all the offending tiles. I chipped out the old adhesive, which sometimes came out as a complete slab, and re cemented the original tiles back down.

What did you use as "cement" when you re-cemented the tiles back dow? Was is regular cement? or grout? or what kind of adhesive?

Just sand and cement...then re-grouted

[cheeryble]

I once saved ripping up a floor of teak parquet by drilling small holes in loose tile corners and injecting polyester resin (glass fibre with the glass) via a large syringe with the needle unattached. You can see the resin rising up between the tiles a bit to stop.The good thing was the substrate was very crumbly and porous in places, but the resin being very liquid when first made flowed in and firmed this up too. I experimented for the right amount of catalyst for 10 minutes of working time and did it in bits. Finish off with a. bit of grout.

ps I simply used the "tapping a small screwdriver handle" test......didn't run across the floor or have to pick it up each time.

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Edited March 10, 2014 by cheeryble

[steveolevi]

Thanks Cheery,

Can you give me some details such as where you bough your materials, and how you prepped and mixed? I have porcelain tiles and I dread drilling holes, but I've already had a worker come in to replace tiles and the result was poor. I think I would be more careful doing it myself.

[cheeryble]

Ouch...not sure I'd like to drill many holes in ceramic, but a few may be ok if you can match the grout (and you can).

I got the resin/catalyst from a place the other side form the British Consul in CM nr Baskin Robbins....I could look the road up if you don't know it. It sells art type stuff like this. Nearer the corner than the embassy and opposite.

Got the large syringes from a vet.

Drilled holes so the syringe nozzle stub (without needle) fit fairly tightly into the hole.

Bought some cheap little plastic containers for mixing.

Depending on how much you gotta do you may need few or many mixes, and you'll use a fresh container and syringe every time.

Adjust the catalyst amount. You want it to set if I remember in about 20-30 minutes, this means it'll be runny enough to inject for about 5 or 10 (guesstimating from memory). If the substrate is loose get as much resin in as you can before it starts thickening so it runs through nicely.

They also sell epoxy whcih is what I first thought of. This is very strong stuff and better for hih quality work like yacht work in that no shrinkage at all but it has exothermic issues and is much more expensive, the polyester resin is fine. Can't remember the polyester resin heating up (larger batches of epoxy can get dangerously hot and need to be mixed on a tray to lose heat) if it does you need to keep batch size down.

Just try it out.

ps predictive text in previous post mistake it should say fibreglass resin WITHOUT the glassfibres.

Edited March 11, 2014 by cheeryble

[cheeryble]

Addendum:

If you can get the old tiles out whole or exact replacements and the substrate is firm I'd try and just glue them back with something better than mortar out of a gun something like Hard as Nails for just a small job or as there are twenty large tiles perhaps something cheaper like tile adhesive which comes in a small sack. This when prepared should be "combed" into lines so the tile can tapped down to level and always ensure adhesive at the edges to avoid a crack there (though unlikely with a large tile like yours).

ps I looked up I have photos of the patented polyester resin method if you need them holler....though I hadn't noticed the large area you have to do, resin probably not suitable for you though just perfect for small parquet and loose floor.

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Edited March 11, 2014 by cheeryble

[steveolevi]

I had a local guy replace most of the tiles and it came out really bad. I have only a few that I have to re-do so your method would be good. It seems that most of the de-bonding is around the edges of the tiles and I think I can do the job myself.

I think I know the art place in CM that you mentioned. Is it near McCormick hospital? Can you tell me exactly, please?

I think I will put thick tape on the tiles about 5-10 cm from edge and drill through the tape using the tape to keep the drill bit from wandering and scratching the tile surface. I would like to make the holes as small as possible, of course. I'll have to hunt for the syringes. What tip diameter did you use? Did the mix flow easily out?

I have seen a product on the internet (STICKIT) that has a pump bottle with chemical included and uses a 2 mm syringe tip, but the cost is $80 + shipping.

Thanks for your help.

[cheeryble]

I had a local guy replace most of the tiles and it came out really bad. I have only a few that I have to re-do so your method would be good. It seems that most of the de-bonding is around the edges of the tiles and I think I can do the job myself.

I think I know the art place in CM that you mentioned. Is it near McCormick hospital? Can you tell me exactly, please?

I think I will put thick tape on the tiles about 5-10 cm from edge and drill through the tape using the tape to keep the drill bit from wandering and scratching the tile surface. I would like to make the holes as small as possible, of course. I'll have to hunt for the syringes. What tip diameter did you use? Did the mix flow easily out?

I have seen a product on the internet (STICKIT) that has a pump bottle with chemical included and uses a 2 mm syringe tip, but the cost is $80 + shipping.

Thanks for your help.

I fear with 60x60 tiles you cannot use a little syringe like I did and may need a lot of resin.

If I were you I'd try to find the same tile and replace with a better cement or adhesive....definitely not regular cement and sand mortar.

IF you need to buy the resin

I gave directions two posts ago.

My syringe size was typical larger size in a domestic vet just go and ask.....25 or 50 cc? (which will not get you far with those large tiles).

Tip diameter was about eighth of an inch but will flow easily as long as it's not going off yet so within a few minutes at most then make another one.

[krisb]

Carefully removing the lifted tiles then grinding out the old tile glue and re laying would be the method if you didn't want to start fresh.

[eyecatcher]

The OP actually never stated that his tiles were moving,rocking causing a problem but assumes because some are hollow that its a problem.

If it isn't a problem why create one？

Unless tiles are cracked they cannot move with a 3mm grouted joint.

The fact they sound hollow is because I have seen tilers at work, its a lazy 5 dollops of mortar in each corner and one in the middle.

They lay one tile, then the system repeats.......unable to get a mix and spread it at 1m2 then tile.

if they are using a powder adhesive such as weber then the substrate and tile compound are indicative of which weber to use and there at at least 10 different varieties.

But to save money, many just use sand and cement mortar mix but it dries out so quick the tile will never bond to it and not even to the floor.

With mortar its ok only of you mix latex into it, it stops it drying so quick and makes it sticky.

Until they crack they should be ok, then carefully take out the grout joints,lift the tiles and clean out the old mortar.

Replace with a bag or two of floor adhesive...weber or crocodile, when mixed well it flows beautifully....the difficulty is judging the amount to set your tiles back at the surrounding level.

Patience and the cost of 2 bags should do about 7m2.

[steve187]

Sound advice from eyecatcher

The problem with 600x600 tiles is that they will be porcelain, they will more than likely be 'fixed' to the floor with a thickish bed of sand and cement, porcelain will not stick to sand and cement, they will lay there and some will sound solid but will only sound solid, they will not be stuck. if anything less than a 2 or 3 mm joint was used, trying to get them up will be a real pain as they will bind against each other.

The only real solution will be to take the whole lot up, with a minimum clean all could be reused. scrape the floor as best as possible, use a thin bed of good tile adhesive to seal the gaps in the sand/cement, then relay with an adhesive suitable for porcelain (weber is about the best i have found here, buy the non porous type i think the bag is white and orange) using a 8 or 10mm notched trowel, put wooden threseholds at the door to hide the 6 mm rise in floor level.

I am a wall and floor tiler with 40 years experience, spanning the old sand and cement quarry tile days through to the 1.5m long porcel thin tiles.

all the best

Edited March 23, 2014 by steve187