How do I fix damaged, original terracotta floor tiles before sealing? Re-generate an old or tired space and give it a fresh breath of life. Click here for answers, information and tips

[Alienbeams]

Hello! I recently uncovered, what appears to be, the original terracotta floor tiles in a room in my house. A few of the tiles aren't in amazing shape: The top layer has flaked off in a couple of areas and the tile has turned a bit powdery. It feels like I need to address these areas before sealing the floor.

Question: How do I 'fix' the damaged areas? An alternative to wood hardener, for terracotta is the sort of solution I'm picturing in my head (as opposed to the epoxy putty approach).

[stoneyboy]

Hi allenbeams,
Sorry to tell you but I don’t think you will have much success in making this flooring sound.
The tiles clearly have damp coming up through them which has caused spalling of their surface. Sealing the top surface will only make this worse.
If the rest of the floor is sound you could try cutting out the bad tile and turning them over otherwise your best option would be to hack off loose material and use floor levelling compound.
Regards SB

[LeonUk]

There isn’t really a ‘wood hardener’ type product for clay, but there are breathable consolidants made specifically for porous masonry/terracotta (lime-based or silicate-based). They soak in, bind the loose material, and still let moisture pass through.

If the damage is very shallow, careful cleaning and then applying one of those consolidants before sealing can stabilise it. If a tile is too far gone (powdering right through), replacement is usually the better option. The key is to avoid epoxy or anything that traps moisture — that can cause more spalling in the long run.

[Alienbeams]

Hey Leon. Thanks for the reply. I have some Sealer's Choice Gold which claims to 'allow moisture vapour transmission'. Would this be a good option? Presumably, it wouldn't help stabilise the surface, which a consolidant would do. The latter does sound like a good solution so thanks for this.