How to Repair Cracked Floor Tiles

If the floor or kitchen tile is cracked – whether from normal wear and tear or being hit by a heavy object – you don’t necessarily need to replace the cracked tile. If finances do not allow or the brick is not badly damaged, you can repair it. If the brick only has a crack as small as a hair, you can use epoxy glue to seal the crack. Or you can choose a simpler solution than using wood glue or nail polish. If the cracked brick is too large to be repaired, replace the damaged brick.

Table of Contents

Fix hairline cracks with epoxy glue

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Buy a 2-component epoxy adhesive kit at a hardware store. Basically epoxy glue is a mixture that can be used to “glue” two pieces of brick. Although there is a 1-component epoxy sealant, the 2-component type is of higher quality and can seal cracks longer. ^{[1] X Research Source} Look at a hardware store, if they don’t sell epoxy, go to a hardware store.

Good quality 2-component epoxy glue costs about 35-40 USD (in the US).

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Clean cracked tiles with paper towels and rubbing alcohol. Pour some rubbing alcohol onto 1 or 2 paper towels. Use a paper towel soaked in alcohol to clean the surface of the cracked tile. Cleaning will help remove dust and dirt, ensuring the epoxy glue firmly adheres to the surface of the tile. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Both of these products are sold at department stores or drugstores.

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Mix epoxy glue on a sheet of cardboard. Squeeze 2 tubes of ingredient to dispense approximately 2 tablespoons (43g) of epoxy glue onto a piece of cardboard. Use an ice cream stick to mix the two components of the epoxy glue together until completely mixed. That mixture will start a chemical reaction and cause the epoxy to harden. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

If you don’t have cardboard at home, you can mix epoxy glue on an unused wax paper or board.

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Apply epoxy glue along the crack in the brick. Use an ice cream stick to take about half of the mixed epoxy glue. Transfer the epoxy to the brick and carefully apply a thin layer along the length of the crack. This liquid will slowly seep into the crevice before solidifying. Remember to apply approximately 5mm of glue on both sides of the crack. Try to work quickly because epoxy glue dries quickly. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Do not let the epoxy glue stick to the uncracked part of the brick.

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Wait 5-10 minutes for the glue to dry. The epoxy glue will dry completely in less than 15 minutes. To see if the epoxy is dry, tap it gently with your fingertips. The glue feels hard to the touch when it is completely dry. Fingers will not stick epoxy glue after touching the glue. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

While the epoxy is drying, do not touch or place anything on it. In addition, you need to keep dogs, cats and children away from that brick.

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Scrape off excess dried epoxy around the crack. Use a paper scraper blade to scrape off excess epoxy glue on the tile. Hold the blade at a 45 degree angle to the brick surface. Slide the blade underneath the excess epoxy to pry it off. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Be careful when using a paper cutter to cut epoxy glue. The paper cutter is very sharp and you can get injured if you slip your hand.

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Color the epoxy glue to match the tile color. You can buy dye powder (made specifically for epoxy glue) from a craft store. Mix pigments together (eg brown, gray, black) to create a color that matches the brick color. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, apply the pigment to the glue until the crack is no longer visible. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

This step is optional. If you see that the epoxy glue is already close to the color of the brick, there is no need to dye it.

Repair tiles with nail polish

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Apply a thin layer of wood glue over the widest part of the crack. This method is suitable for cracks that are wider than hairline cracks. Squeeze some wood glue over the crack. Use your finger or wand to apply wood glue along the length of the crack and cover any part wider than 1 millimeter. Wait about 10 minutes for the glue to dry. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

The wood glue will stretch without losing its adhesion to the tile, helping to ensure the strength and durability of the repair.

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Apply a thin coat of nail polish along the crack. Use the small brush that comes with the nail polish bottle to dip the paint in the bottle and apply it to the tile surface. Paint along the crack in the brick so that the entire crack is covered, making sure the paint covers the sides of the crack by about 1-2mm. ^{[9] X Research Source}

This repair method is only effective for polished glazed tiles, not for hollow tiles.
It’s best to use nail polish that matches the color of the tile. For example, if your tiles are light beige, choose nail polish that color.
In case you can’t find nail polish with the same color as the brick, you can mix 2 different colors to create the desired color.

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Wait 10 minutes for the nail polish to dry. Nail polish needs to be completely dry before you move on to the next step. ^{[10] X Research Source} To see if the paint is dry after 10 minutes, lightly touch the paint with your finger. If the finger is not painted and the stain is not fingerprinted, it is dry.

If the nail polish is still wet after 10 minutes, wait another 5 minutes.

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Remove excess paint with nail polish remover. Be careful not to accidentally remove too much paint from the tile surface. You should only put a little nail polish remover on the tip of the cotton swab. Sweep a cotton swab over the area to be removed 5-6 times to remove it. ^{[11] X Research Source}

If you don’t get it off the first time, use another cotton swab soaked in paint remover solution and try again.

Replace broken bricks

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Drill 3-4 small holes in the brick to reduce bonding force before removing. Hold the drill upright over the broken brick so that the drill goes straight into the brick. Pull the trigger to activate the drill and drill a few holes in the brick. Drill holes should lie in a straight line at the center of the brick, either horizontally or vertically. ^{[12] X Research Source}

If the drill throws small pieces or creates dust, clean it up with a broom and dustpan.

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Break the brick with a hammer and chisel. Place the chisel in the line of the drill holes. Use a hammer to hit the chisel handle to break the brick. Hold the chisel at a 45-degree angle and keep knocking to break the entire cracked brick and remove the debris. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Hit the hammer with enough force but not enough to damage the wood underneath the tile. Be careful not to damage the surrounding bricks.
After removing the brick, throw it in the trash and sweep the area.

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Scrape off any remaining grout under the tile. Mortar is a binding material and may have adhered to the wood underneath the brick. Hold the chisel at an angle of 20 degrees (relative to the floor) and slide it along the space where you just removed the brick. Scrape off all grout from the wood. ^{[14] X Research Source}

Throw the grout in the trash so it cannot be reached by children and pets.

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Buy new bricks to replace broken bricks. Ideally, you have a few spare tiles left over from a previous floor or countertop. If not, you can take a picture of the brick you want to replace. Take a picture of the brick to your local convenience store or brick-and-mortar store. Find the brick that is the closest match to the color of the brick at home. ^{[15] X Research Source}

The salesperson will help you find the right tile style.

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Put mortar on the underside of the brick. Put on latex rubber gloves before starting plastering work. Buy a small bucket of mortar and a plastering knife at your local hardware store. Use the blade of the knife to take a small amount of mortar and spread it evenly on the underside of the brick. After plastering evenly, the mortar layer will be about 3mm thick. ^{[16] X Research Source}

Be careful not to let the grout stick to the other bricks. Mortar that has stuck to the tile is very difficult to scrape off!

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Place the new brick in the correct position and press gently. Hold the brick above the new tile, then place the brick in the hole and gently press it. ^{[17] X Research Source}

If you press too hard, excess grout will be pushed from the underside through the tile edges and up.

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Use a trowel to put grout around the new brick. Use a trowel to take some grout and grout along the edges of the freshly laid brick. Continue grouting around the brick until the 5mm gap on the 4 sides of the brick is filled. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

A trowel is a flat, wide, and handlebar instrument used for plastering. You can buy them at a hardware store or a hardware store.
Remember to use grout that matches the color of the existing grout!

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Use a damp cloth to clean the floor. Before the grout dries, moisten an old rag or towel and wipe the freshly tiled tile (or any tile with grout). Remember not to touch the grout in the gaps around the brick. Let the grout dry overnight, then the new brick will be ready to use! ^{[19] X Research Source}

If you forget to clean the tile after a few hours, it will be very difficult to clean the excess grout!

Things you need

Patching the hairline

2 part epoxy glue
Cleaning alcohol
Ice cream
Carton
Paper knife blade

Repair tiles with nail polish

Wood glue
Chopsticks
nail polish
Nail polish remover
Cotton swab

Replace broken bricks

Drill
Countersink
Dust collector and broom
Hammer
Chisel
Replacement bricks
Mortar
Plaster knife
Latex Gloves
grout
Peel
Rag

Advice

While repairing cracked tiles is a quick and easy method, it is only a temporary solution. The brick will probably crack again. Replacing new tiles, although expensive and time consuming, is a more permanent solution regardless of whether the tile is on the floor, the bathroom floor or in the swimming pool.
If you don’t want to use epoxy glue to fix the crack, many home appliance stores sell quick-drying tile patching materials. ^{[20] X Research Source}

Steps

Fix hairline cracks with epoxy glue

Repair tiles with nail polish

Replace broken bricks

Things you need

Patching the hairline

Repair tiles with nail polish

Replace broken bricks

Advice

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