Maintenance and Repair of Mosaic Tiles

Mosaic tiles are a great addition to any home;
wherever or however you use them – indoors
or outdoors – you can guarantee a stylish,
contemporary finish.
Because of their size, mosaic tile sheets can
often be susceptible to neglect and damage,
ruining the look of your tiled wall or floor. Here
are some tips for keeping your tiles flawless.

Maintenance

Clean your tiles regularly. Mosaic tiles can accumulate dirt just
like any other type of tile so you will need to scrub them
regularly to maintain their appearance.

What you can use:
Baking soda – Add water to make a paste and apply to the tile with a cloth or brush.
Lemon juice – Add water and pour on tiles. Rub thoroughly and repeat 2-3 times to
remove stains.
Shampoo – Add water to form a froth and scrub to clean and add shine.
Duster – Use to sweep dirt from tiles daily.
Soapy water and nail brush – Scrub tiles twice a week to keep them free of dust and dirt.

Cleaning Grout:
Use specialist grout cleaner or baking soda and a toothbrush to get into the grout joints
and remove dirt.

Top Maintenance Tip: Always apply a waterproof sealant to tiles to prevent them taking
on water and allowing mould to form.

repair

Mosaic tiles are extremely durable, but accidents do happen. Fortunately, repair and
replacement is straightforward.

Repairing a Hairline Crack:

What you will need:
Soap (washing up liquid)
Water
Cloth
Towel
Hair dryer
Oil-based paint
High gloss oil-based primer
Paintbrush
Two-part clear marine epoxy
Wooden stick

Step 1: Clean the tile with cloth and soapy water.
Step 2: Dry tile with towel and hairdryer until completely
dry.
Step 3: Use small paintbrush to apply oil-based primer to
the crack and leave to dry for 2 hours.
Step 4: Apply coat of high-gloss oil-based paint along the
crack to match the colour of the tile and leave to dry
overnight.
Step 5: Mix two-part marine epoxy with wooden stick and
apply directly to crack with small paintbrush until level
with tile.
Step 6: Leave epoxy to dry for 24 hours.

Replacing a Tile

What you will need:
Scoring tool
Power drill
Hammer
Chisel
Notched trowel
Tile adhesive
Grout float
Sponge
Safety glasses

Step 1: Rake out grout from around tile with carbide-tip
scoring tool.
Step 2: Apply painters tape to adjacent tiles to protect
them.
Step 3: Use ¼-inch drill bit to drill holes into the broken
sections of tile.
Step 4: Gently chisel out tile and adhesive with hammer
and cold chisel or flat-head screwdriver
Step 5: Apply adhesive to tile and wall/floor, set the tile in
place and press down firmly to level with surrounding
tiles. Leave adhesive to set for 2 hours.
Step 6: Swipe grout into joints using grout float at a
45-degree angle.
Step 7: Clean away excess grout with damp sponge.

Removing damaged or broken mosaics from a meshed backing

Use a mosaic tile nibbler to remove the
unwanted mosaic tile piece. This will allow
you to get into hard to reach areas of the
mesh sheet.
If the damaged piece is located on the
edge then simply slice through with a
sharp knife (Stanley) or a pair of scissors.
Sometimes depending on the glue or
silicone used to fix the mosaics you will be
able to twist and peal the damaged
mosaic piece off.

Replacing mosaic tile pieces on a meshed backing

Mosaic tile pieces can easily be replaced
back onto their mesh by using a glue gun
or silicone.
Using a mastic gun or a glue gun dispense
a small blob in the centre of the mosaic.
Then push and twist into position.
Leave to set for 24hrs on a flat surface

Sealing stone mosaic tiles

Stone mosaics or mosaics with a porous
surface need to be sealed before grouting.
Otherwise the grout will bond to the stone.
Also it will protect your mosaics from any
other unwanted substances penetrating
the surface of your mosaics.
If you have a crackled effect to you mosaic
then the grout can discolour the tile if not
treated/sealed.
There are a variety of sealants available
depending what material your mosaic tile
is made from. Be sure to choose the right
one for you