Fix a hollow-sounding or loose tile — HomeGraft

Remove a loose or hollow tile, check what's behind it, then re-fix it securely with the right adhesive and grout.

FT-01Find how far the problem goesTap each tile gently with the handle of a screwdriver or your knuckle. A dull, drummy sound means the tile has come away from the wall; a sharp, solid sound means it's fine. Mark every hollow tile with a small piece of masking tape so you know exactly what you're dealing with before you start.

1 roll · Masking tape

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FT-02Find your stopcock and check for cables and pipes before you drill or cut anythingCables and pipes can run almost anywhere behind a wall, not just in the 'safe zones' near sockets and switches. Run a cable and pipe detector over the area, but still treat the wall as if something is there until you've proved otherwise — detectors miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, or behind metal-backed board, and a metal stud frame confuses cheap detectors further. Find your stopcock now, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns, so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe. If you're at all unsure, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and turn the water off at the stopcock before cutting into anything that could carry water.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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FT-03Work out what's behind the tilesSolid brick or block feels hard all over when you tap it, with no give. Plasterboard sounds hollow between fixings and solid over them. Run a magnet or stud detector across the wall in a line — regular hits every 400-600mm mean timber or metal studs behind plasterboard. A small pilot hole at a spot you'll cover with grout tells you the rest: fine timber dust means timber studs, and grey metal swarf means metal studs. Dot-and-dab is plasterboard that sounds hollow everywhere, with no regular stud pattern, fixed onto masonry with blobs of adhesive. Lath and plaster is older walls with a springy, slightly bouncy feel and a duller knock than plasterboard.

1 each · Magnetic stud finder

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FT-04Remove the loose tileRake out the grout around the loose tile with a grout rake or the tip of a flathead screwdriver. Tape the edges of the neighbouring tiles to protect them, then work a wide bolster chisel gently under an edge or cracked corner and lever the tile off slowly. Go slowly — a cracked tile is easy to replace, but a cracked neighbour means more work.

1 each · Grout rake

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1 each · Wide bolster chisel

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1 roll · Masking tape

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FT-05Clean the wall and the back of the tileScrape all the old adhesive off the wall and off the back of the tile with a flat scraper, until both surfaces are flat and free of lumps. Vacuum out the dust and debris from the gap. If the tile snapped or the old adhesive won't come away cleanly, you'll need a replacement tile of the same size.

1 each · Flat scraper

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FT-06Check the backing is solid — this changes by wall typePress firmly on the exposed patch. On solid brick or block, if it's hard and flat, you're ready to re-tile straight away. On plasterboard over timber studs, if the board flexes or drums over where a stud should be, drive a wood screw into the centre of the stud to pull it tight. On plasterboard over metal studs, do the same job with a self-drilling metal-stud screw — never a wood screw, which strips straight through 0.5mm steel — and never a plain plastic wall plug, which has nothing to grip. On dot-and-dab, if the board has pulled away from the adhesive dabs, you need a fixing long enough to reach the solid masonry behind it, not just the plasterboard. On lath and plaster, a large hollow area usually means the plaster key behind the lath has crumbled — that's a plastering repair, not a quick screw fix, so get a plasterer if more than one or two tiles are affected. Remember the safety check from earlier before you drill: confirm there's nothing live or wet behind this spot.

1 box · Wood screws, 40mm (box)

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1 box · Self-drilling metal-stud screws, 25mm (box)

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1 pack · Hollow-wall fixing for dot-and-dab (rated for load, reaches masonry)

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FT-07Mix and fit the adhesive, then re-fix the tileUse a flexible tile adhesive on plasterboard and dot-and-dab walls, since these flex slightly and a rigid adhesive will crack. Standard adhesive is fine on solid brick or block. Butter the back of the tile evenly, press it into the gap, and use tile spacers to line it up with its neighbours. Check it's flush with a small spirit level before the adhesive goes off, and wipe any squeeze-out from the joints straight away.

1 each · Flexible tile adhesive (small tub)

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1 pack · Tile spacers (pack)

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1 each · Small spirit level

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FT-08Let it cure, then groutLeave the adhesive to cure for the time stated on the tub, usually 24 hours, before you touch it again. Remove the spacers, then push grout into the joints with a rubber grout float, working diagonally across the tiles. Wipe off the excess with a damp sponge, and buff the surface with a dry cloth once it's hazy.

1 each · Tile grout (small tub)

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1 each · Rubber grout float

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1 each · Sponge

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FT-09Clean up and check your workWipe down the whole area and vacuum up any dust or grout crumbs. Bag up broken tile pieces and old adhesive for the bin. Once the grout has fully cured, tap the repaired tile again to check it now sounds solid, the same as its neighbours.

1 each · Cloth

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