How to Repair a Broken Internal Chimney Tile
- 1). Fit your rotary cutter with a grout bit and grout attachment. Break up the grout surrounding the broken tile by running the grout bit along the grout line. The grout attachment keeps the grout bit from touching and damaging the surrounding tiles. Cut through the mortar below the grout if you can.
- 2). Drill holes in the broken tile with a power drill fitted with a masonry bit to weaken the tile. If the tile is porcelain, cover the surrounding tiles with fiberboard held in place by duct tape, and cut the tile with an angle grinder fitted with a masonry cutting blade.
- 3). Break up the tile with a hammer and cold chisel until the pieces fall away from the underlying mortar. Don't try to pry up the pieces of tile, or you may pull up the adjoining tile as well. When you have removed the entire broken tile, break up and remove the mortar with the hammer and chisel.
- 4). Fill in any gouges created in the subsurface by the cold chisel by applying a two-part epoxy with a putty knife. Allow the epoxy to cure according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- 5). Apply thin-set mortar to the back of the replacement tile with a trowel. Put the tile in place and press it until it is flush with the neighboring tiles. Attach the replacement tile to its neighbors with masking tape to hold in place while the mortar dries. Allow the mortar to cure according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- 6). Remove the masking tape when the mortar is dry. Scoop grout onto the grout line and press it into place with a damp sponge. Run the corner of the damp sponge over the grout lines to create an even depth consistent with the surrounding grout. Wipe excess grout from the tile surface before it dries and hardens. Allow the grout to cure according to the manufacturer's instructions.
