Replacing Damaged Or Missing Ceramic Tiles

Technical Procedures Disclaimer

Prior to inclusion in GSA’s library of procedures, documents are reviewed by one or more qualified preservation specialists for general consistency with the Secretary of Interior Standards for rehabilitating historic buildings as understood at the time the procedure is added to the library. All specifications require project-specific editing and professional judgement regarding the applicability of a procedure to a particular building, project or location. References to products and suppliers are to serve as a general guideline and do not constitute a federal endorsement or determination that a product or method is the best or most current alternative, remains available, or is compliant with current environmental regulations and safety standards. The library of procedures is intended to serve as a resource, not a substitute, for specification development by a qualified preservation professional.

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We’ve reviewed these procedures for general consistency with federal standards for rehabilitating historic buildings and provide them only as a reference. Specifications should only be applied under the guidance of a qualified preservation professional who can assess the applicability of a procedure to a particular building, project or location. References to products and suppliers serve as general guidelines and do not constitute a federal endorsement nor a determination that a product or method is the best alternative or compliant with current environmental regulations and safety standards.

PART 1---GENERAL

1.01 SUMMARY

  1. This procedure includes guidance on replacing individual ceramic tiles that have been damaged or are missing.
  2. See 01100-07-S for general project guidelines to be reviewed along with this procedure. These guidelines cover the following sections:
    1. Safety Precautions
    2. Historic Structures Precautions
    3. Submittals
    4. Quality Assurance
    5. Delivery, Storage and Handling
    6. Project/Site Conditions
    7. Sequencing and Scheduling
    8. General Protection (Surface and Surrounding)

These guidelines should be reviewed prior to performing this procedure and should be followed, when applicable, along with recommendations from the Regional Historic Preservation Officer (RHPO).

1.02 REFERENCES

  1. American National Standards Institute, Inc. (ANSI), ansi.org

1.03 QUALITY ASSURANCE

  1. All new tile should conform to minimum grade standard specifications for ceramic tile published by ANSI; use most recent version.

PART 2---PRODUCTS

2.01 MANUFACTURERS

  1. Bostik bostik.com
  2. Custom Building Products custombuildingproducts.com
  3. Dow Corning Corporation dow.com

2.02 MATERIALS

  1. Non-abrasive cleaner such as "Soft Scrub" (Dow Chemical Company), or approved equal.
  2. Replacement tile to match original in color, finish and size. Existing tile from other areas of the building may be used when properly cleaned and evaluated for soundness and compatibility.
  3. Adhesive: Water resistant ceramic tile mastic(Bostik): "Acryl-4000 Multi-Purpose Ceramic Tile Mastic" (Custom Building Products), or approved equal.
    1. Must be compatible with grout.
    2. Complying with ANSI A108.1, for cement mortars and setting of ceramic glazed tile on masonry or concrete substrates.
  4. Grout such as "Hydroment" (Bostik), or approved equal.
    1. Must be compatible with adhesive.
    2. Must match original grout in dimension, color and texture.
  5. Clean, potable water

2.03 EQUIPMENT

  1. Sponges
  2. Trowel for spreading mastic
  3. Chisel of appropriate size for removing damaged tile
  4. Rubber mallet
  5. Stiff, natural bristle brushes
  6. Spray bottle

PART 3---EXECUTION

3.01 PREPARATION

  1. Clean all tile with a non-abrasive cleaner.
  2. Remove cleaner residue by wiping the tile surface with a damp sponge and clean, potable water.
  3. Select replacement tiles to match cleaned surrounding tiles.

3.02 ERECTION, INSTALLATION, APPLICATION

  1. Carefully remove damaged tiles by hand using a chisel and rubber mallet. Take care not to damage surrounding material or substrate.
  2. Prepare the substrate following adhesive manufacturer's instructions.
  3. Set new tile even and flush with existing surrounding tile. Follow tile manufacturer's instructions. Allow to set for length of time as recommended by manufacturer.
  4. Remove any excess adhesive from surrounding tiles using a clean, soft cloth.
  5. Once the tile has set for the recommended length of time, apply grout to match existing dimensions, color and texture.
  6. Remove any residual grout from the surface using a clean, soft cloth.