Help to fix old quarry tile floor near doorway Help, advice, information, answers and tips on all types of flooring from laminate and carpet to timber and vinyl

[Rich05UK]

Hi,

I live in an old Victorian House (build 1890's) and need help to fix an old quarry tile floor which has received a bad repair at some point by previous owners. I want to remove the broken mishmash of tiles including the triangular tiles and then extend the chequered pattern of the original floor up to the hallway marine ply subfloor using some reclaimed tiles I have acquired which are identical is size (6" SQUARE), colour and thickness etc.

QUESTIONS

1. How do I remove the tiles in question and whatever was used to fix them (looks like concrete) without disturbing the neighbouring tiles?

2. What should I use to cut the reclaimed tiles I want to fit, they will need to be trimmed slightly in particular those on the right? (I know the pattern is running slightly diagonal but this is how it was laid originally in the dining room, weird I know). I have an electric diamond wheel tile cutter, is that the best bet? I've never cut an old thick quarry tile like this before?

3. What should I use to bed the tiles back down with, I think there is a void of about 3 - 5 inches deep that needs to be filled under the tiles?

4. I assume I will need to grout, what spacing should I use and what grout should I use to replicate the look and colour of the original floor?

Hopefully that makes sense, in short I don't want it to be noticeable that the new tiles fitted stand out from the original floor in any way.

Thanks for any help and advice.

Cheers,

Richard.

[stoneyboy]

Hi rich05uk
Remove the old tiles with a narrow cold chisel they may just lift.
Try using your tile cutter but the tiles may be too hard. In this case you will have to acquire a 4 1/2 inch angle grinder fitted with a diamond blade for hard materials.
Fill the voids with a concrete mix and allow to set, dampen the existing concrete.
The existing tiles look like they have been bedded direct into the concrete so you may have to use something like gorilla glue which will work with virtually zero bed, weigh down the tiles.
Follow the existing joins and fill with a neat cement mix.
Regards S

[Rich05UK]

Thanks stoneyboy for your reply.

I will give this method a try. Do you think I could also chip away some of the concrete using the narrow cold chisel, to allow me 5-10mm clearance to bed the tiles I plan to re-fit into the concrete mix rather than rely on glue? I'm just not sure they would hold if glued into position, especially as its a doorway so will be a high traffic area. Is this a good idea or will I risk loosening the next row of tiles by trying to do this?

Also, my apologies as I haven't done this before but what is a neat cement mix, I'm guessing just cement and water but what ratio?

Thanks again.

Cheers,

Richard.

[stoneyboy]

Hi rich05uk
If your tiles when laid on the existing concrete are the right thickness to match the existing I suggest you try the glue first.
You could try chiselling out the concrete to give more depth but it may disturb adjacent tiles.
Neat cement mix is just cement and water in proportions to give a paste you can use as grout.
Regards S