If you've had a single shower tile fall off, then you might want to simply apply thinset to the back, hold it a few seconds to allow it to dry and regrout in that area. If, however, you find that there's a lot of tiles falling and mold developing, then you need to replace the shower tiles. You also need to check the substructure because water is entering the area from somewhere. The task is moderately difficult, but nothing that the true home improvement fan can't handle.
Instructions
1. Remove all the old tiles before you begin. If you're only replacing one area, make sure that the tiles you choose match the rest. Look underneath the tiles for signs that moisture is reaching the backer board. If it is, you'll need to replace this also. It requires that you tear out the whole section, otherwise it won't take long before you have your new tiles falling off the wall. Inspect the area for signs of leaks in the plumbing if it's by the shower plumbing. If you find any, don't proceed until you fix the leak.
2. Replace the old green board with new backer board made for wet areas. If your tile fell off and you have green board underneath, that may be the problem. There's a vast array of types, which include cementitious, coated glass mat water-resistant gypsum and fiber-cement underlayments, to name a few. Consult your home improvement store for the best one for your type of job.
3. Lay out the tiles on a template that you cut from butcher paper. This is particularly important to draw a pattern if you have shower fixtures in the area. You'll need to cut the tiles to fit the area. Don't forget to leave spaces for the grout when you lay out your pattern of tiles. Make sure you don't have any small pieces at the end of the rows.
4. Cut the tiles with a tile cutter or scoring pen and nippers if they're ceramic. For stone tiles, you'll need a wet saw to cut them. If you have a circular opening, a diamond blade hole saw is good for the cut.
5. Draw a level vertical line for a reference point. If you're only doing one wall of the shower, you'll use the other walls for reference. Choose one row in the middle and draw a level line across the backer board about half the way up the wall.
6. Apply thinset to the lower area and start at the top middle by the line. As you put each tile on, slide it across the thinset to make sure you coat it. Hold it for a short time to make sure it's secure and move on to the next row. Do the top two rows in the bottom section, level and then start on the lower rows. The bottom half is normally the most difficult to do and doing it first before you become frustrated is the best method. Continuously check the grout lines to make sure they're straight. Build from the lower section. Clean away excess thinset from the faces. Apply the thinset to the top half and start tiling that area.
7. Allow the tile to dry overnight after you clean the face of the tiles. Clean the face of the tiles one more time and apply a sealer. Let this dry. It makes cleanup of the grout simpler. Apply the grout with a trowel, covering all the surface as you fill in the grout lines. Wait 15 minutes before you attempt to clean the tile face. Watch out that you don't disturb the grout lines. Let this dry a week. Seal it several times with a sealer. A foam brush works well for this.
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