How to Fix Uneven Floor Tiles Without Tearing Them Off

Whether on walls or floors, tiles are durable, attractive, and easy to clean and maintain . But installing it can be a daunting task – any amateur craftsman will quickly learn this. The job seems simple, but it requires a lot of precision, and even minor flaws can be a major nuisance if not addressed properly.

One major potential headache: lippage tiles. Lippage is what you get when adjacent tiles are not on the same level, but one tile is slightly higher, creating a “lip” that you can see – and feel (or trip over). A bulge can be caused by a variety of problems, including poor workmanship, warped tiles, or uneven subfloor. There are professional standards for acceptable edging – as a general rule, tiles with grout lines up to 1/4″ wide can have tile edges up to 1/32″, and tiles with wider grout lines can have up to 1/4″ wide grout lines. 16 inches. (To give you an idea of ​​what it looks like, the credit card is approximately 1/32 inch wide.)

So, what can you do if the floor or wall tiles are already installed and grouted and you can see the edge, but ripping out the problematic tiles and replacing them is not an option? You have exactly two options.

Measure first

Before you do anything, measure your lipstick. As noted, some distortion in an image is normal (and often unavoidable), but lighting in a space can accentuate it and make it look sharper than it really is. The simplest test is to swipe a credit card across the floor or wall. If you hit a hard stop, you will have an edge over 1/32″ (use two stacks of credit cards for large grout lines to find a 1/16″ edge).

If you have slippage that exceeds these standards, note each occurrence. If it’s the whole floor, you’re probably better off ripping it out. If it’s just a few dots, you might be able to fix the problem.

Option 1: grind

If the sticking isn’t too bad and only affects a small number of tiles, you can sand the edge to make it even – or at least appear straight – with a hand sander or an angle grinder (or, with a pinch of fine sandpaper ). You must be careful to select the correct sanding pad for the type of tile you are dealing with, and you must be very conservative and careful. This won’t work if you have a significant overhang, but for minor issues you can carefully sand one or three edges and then buff and seal the area.

Option 2: Fill it up

If you are not comfortable sanding the tile, you can also try to solve the problem by creating a “ramp” from additional mortar . This can be a tricky operation since you don’t want the ramp to be obvious, and it’s important to keep in mind that this will only work with a minor overhang. If you have a 1/8″ overhang, the grout will be very obvious.

However, for a minor edge, you can start by filling in the grout line as usual, then load the trowel again and grout the edge tile, filling the grout to the top of the edge. While washing, use a sponge to gently shape the grout so that it gradually rises from the edge of the bottom tile to the edge of the top tile. Take your time – once the grout has set, you won’t be able to adjust it without sawing it out and trying again. If you do everything right, the edge will be visually hidden, and you will no longer bump into it with your foot due to the gradual rise of the mortar.