Flattening bathroom tiles back
Discussion
We have a small ancillary shower room which we have not really used before, but with a growing family two shower rooms is sort of becoming very nice to have.
This one is in all good shape and we just want to modernise slightly by adding one new shower and then applying a microcement finish over the rather dated tiles. I don't want to remove the tiles as they are in good condition. The one thing that I need to figure out, is how to flatten several of these rather naff embossed-type tiles, there are 6 of them.
My question is whether anyone here has a good idea on how to flatten them back, I was thinking some Dremel-type tool, or some very coarse paper on a random orbital?
This one is in all good shape and we just want to modernise slightly by adding one new shower and then applying a microcement finish over the rather dated tiles. I don't want to remove the tiles as they are in good condition. The one thing that I need to figure out, is how to flatten several of these rather naff embossed-type tiles, there are 6 of them.
My question is whether anyone here has a good idea on how to flatten them back, I was thinking some Dremel-type tool, or some very coarse paper on a random orbital?
Whichever method you opt for, it will be very messy. To get that flat you'll need a flat sander; anything with a disc will be okay for the bulk of it but not for getting to the flat surface you want.
Coating them with something to make them waterproof will also be necessary.
If you're thinking Dremel, why not attack the grout around them and then chisel them out? Should be easy to bed new ones in.
Coating them with something to make them waterproof will also be necessary.
If you're thinking Dremel, why not attack the grout around them and then chisel them out? Should be easy to bed new ones in.
As others have said above only a diamond tipped grinder will touch that, especially if it is porcelain, there will be a total sh!t storm of dust the instant you touch it, personally, I would go with the suggestion above, grind the grout out and then chisel the tile out and replace with A.N Other more to your liking.
Either that or go nuclear & chisel the whole lot off & start again.
Either that or go nuclear & chisel the whole lot off & start again.
We will apply microcement over the entire tiled area, I think given you are adding two or perhaps 3 coats of this, anything not quite right would show on the first pass. So it's literally to grind 6 of these back.
Angle grinder with appropriate disc and all the protective gear then...
Thanks all for the quick replies :-)
Angle grinder with appropriate disc and all the protective gear then...
Thanks all for the quick replies :-)
Simon_GH said:
I would just live with them. I can imagine it ll be a load of work and mess for very little reward. Plus if the finished result looks crap then you ll be chipping them out and replacing them anyway.
totally this..... some things are much better being left as they are. Ron Dennis famously had the dilemma of replacing a cracked floor tile at the McLaren Tec centre and had the choice of leaving the cracked tile there, or replacing it, but the replacement would match.
He opted to leave the cracked one there as it made his teeth itch less.
MDT said:
totally this..... some things are much better being left as they are.
Ron Dennis famously had the dilemma of replacing a cracked floor tile at the McLaren Tec centre and had the choice of leaving the cracked tile there, or replacing it, but the replacement would match.
He opted to leave the cracked one there as it made his teeth itch less.
The problem is the rooms around it are modern and this room looks like something from the 70s, the photo perhaps does not give that away....... also it's a WMS (Wife Management Situation). Ron Dennis famously had the dilemma of replacing a cracked floor tile at the McLaren Tec centre and had the choice of leaving the cracked tile there, or replacing it, but the replacement would match.
He opted to leave the cracked one there as it made his teeth itch less.
Traffic said:
MDT said:
totally this..... some things are much better being left as they are.
Ron Dennis famously had the dilemma of replacing a cracked floor tile at the McLaren Tec centre and had the choice of leaving the cracked tile there, or replacing it, but the replacement would match.
He opted to leave the cracked one there as it made his teeth itch less.
The problem is the rooms around it are modern and this room looks like something from the 70s, the photo perhaps does not give that away....... also it's a WMS (Wife Management Situation). Ron Dennis famously had the dilemma of replacing a cracked floor tile at the McLaren Tec centre and had the choice of leaving the cracked tile there, or replacing it, but the replacement would match.
He opted to leave the cracked one there as it made his teeth itch less.
If it really is just a handful of tiles, i'd be more inclined to chip them out, and build back with some bonding or similar before applying the microcement finish. The dust from that will be horrendous. if you can break them out and away from the wall it'll be a quick and easy cleanup.
1) WTF is 'microcement'?
2) A less messy way of getting rid of those tiles would be to drill a few holes in them with a carbide tile drill, then chip them out.
You can do the drilling wet to avoid dust.
Although I might use a diamond tool in a dremeloid to make a pit to start the drill.
2) A less messy way of getting rid of those tiles would be to drill a few holes in them with a carbide tile drill, then chip them out.
You can do the drilling wet to avoid dust.
Although I might use a diamond tool in a dremeloid to make a pit to start the drill.
OutInTheShed said:
1) WTF is 'microcement'?
Numerous products like this on the market... https://www.epodex.com/se/produkt/microcement-badr...You end up with a polished concrete/Venetian plaster-type finish, and you apply it over tiles as long as they are sound, which mine are. I've seen it in a few places now and it looks very nice in the right setting. This is a secondary shower room of about 2.5sqm so it's going a lot cheaper than getting a professional in to rebuild the room.
_Rodders_ said:
I'd remove those tiles too and then just fill.
It'll also tell you how well they're adhered to the wall. If half a dozen fall out then it might not be such a good idea to plaster over them.
This is the answer, I run a building firm and would just remove the old tiles, find a tile the same thickness and cut it in. Then micro cement over. It'll also tell you how well they're adhered to the wall. If half a dozen fall out then it might not be such a good idea to plaster over them.
joshcowin said:
This is the answer, I run a building firm and would just remove the old tiles, find a tile the same thickness and cut it in. Then micro cement over.
Or just fill flush with tile adhesive? Much quicker and tidier to pull the tile out OP. A grinder on that will be horrible.
MDT said:
totally this..... some things are much better being left as they are.
Ron Dennis famously had the dilemma of replacing a cracked floor tile at the McLaren Tec centre and had the choice of leaving the cracked tile there, or replacing it, but the replacement would match.
He opted to leave the cracked one there as it made his teeth itch less.
I’m sure there was something on TV once about the corridors being made wide enough so the tiles were also full size and not cut down, so every corridor had uncut tiles throughout.Ron Dennis famously had the dilemma of replacing a cracked floor tile at the McLaren Tec centre and had the choice of leaving the cracked tile there, or replacing it, but the replacement would match.
He opted to leave the cracked one there as it made his teeth itch less.
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