Do you have loose, cracked or water damaged tiles? These could all be signs of drummy tiles, and you may need the help of your local tile repair experts.
What are drummy tiles?
‘Drummy’ is a term used in the building industry to describe the hollow, drum-like sound made by broken or loose tiles, concrete, or other flooring materials. Drummy tiles occur when the tiles have come loose or not bonded with the screed underneath.
What causes drummy tiles?
There are several issues that can cause tiles to become loose, including:
- Not enough adhesive under the tile
- Improper application of adhesive, or the wrong type of adhesive
- Water damage
- General wear and tear
How to fix cracked or water damaged tiles
The solution to cracked, loose, or drummy tiles can vary depending on the level of damage and type of issue. Regardless, it’s vital to repair them as soon as possible to avoid further damage.
Option A – Replace Grout
If your tiles aren’t substantially cracked or loose, an easy repair solution is to replace the grout between the tiles from regular grout to epoxy grout. This method would involve opening any cracked tiles to approximately 2 mm so that the grout can be reapplied and sealed. A regrout is less strenuous and messy while also being highly effective.
Option B – Retiling
If most of the tiled area has been affected and many tiles are loose, swollen, or lifting, the most viable and long-term solution is to replace the whole tiled floor and complete a full retile. All of the old adhesives would need to be removed and the underlying floor would need to be prepared correctly before relaying the new tiles.
Should you fix drummy tiles on your own?
Pulling up tiles and removing the adhesive yourself can lead to bigger issues that may be hard to fix on your own. When a tile is removed, it’s common for the adhesive to pull and tear the membrane, which means you may need to replace the entire floor. In a lot of cases, trying to fix drummy tiles without the help of professionals will also mean that your warranty may not be applied.
Contact SCR Melbourne
Relaying drummy or broken tiles needs to be done with precision, or you may end up having the same issues in the not too distant future. That’s why you should contact SCR Melbourne. Our experienced team can help solve your drummy tile issues so you can enjoy secure tiles for years to come. You can call us at 1300 00 57 47 or contact us here.