How to Fix Cracked and Chipped Porcelain Tile | Ask This Old House

In this video, This Old House paint expert Mauro Henrique shows host Kevin O’Connor how to handle chips in porcelain surfaces.
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Paint expert Mauro Henrique teaches Kevin O'Connor how to patch scratches and chips in porcelain. While it is a tough material, Mauro explains that these types of damage are extremely common, and he teaches Kevin how to handle them.
Difficulty: 1/5
Time: 3 hours
Cost: Under $30
Porcelain is a durable material, but it's relatively soft as far as tiles go. This means it's susceptible to cracks or chips, and they're often eyesores. Luckily, it's possible to hide the damage with a bit of touch-up glaze. Here's how to fix cracked and chipped tiles.
Where to find it?
Mauro shows Kevin ways that homeowners can patch small porcelain scratches and chips.
To fix the scratch, Mauro preps the porcelain tile by washing and drying the scratched surface using acetone [amzn.to/3EDU4rv] and a rag [amzn.to/3EF6Y8v]. After the surface is dry, Mauro tapes off the damaged area with painter's tape [amzn.to/3CXBLvZ].
Using a porcelain touch-up glaze [amzn.to/3rUFR1F], Mauro mixes thoroughly and applies it using an applicator brush.
After it dries fully, Mauro uses 120-grit sandpaper [amzn.to/3TkVZVZ] to smooth the surface. Mauro says to allow the glaze 24 hours to dry.
To fix the chip, Mauro sands the chipped area with 400-grit sandpaper [amzn.to/3MvmANY]. After sanding, Mauro cleans off the surface with acetone and a rag. Mauro then tapes off the chipped area with painter's tape. Using a spot epoxy [amzn.to/3VujnSY], Mauro applies a small amount to a putty knife [amzn.to/3CCOuTo] and gently applies it to the chipped area. Mauro says to allow the epoxy to dry for 24hrs and 5 days before cleaning.
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Materials:
Acetone [amzn.to/3EDU4rv]
Rag [amzn.to/3EF6Y8v]
Painter's tape [amzn.to/3CXBLvZ]
120-grit sandpaper [amzn.to/3TkVZVZ]
400-grit sandpaper [amzn.to/3MvmANY]
Touch-up glaze [amzn.to/3rUFR1F]
Spot epoxy [amzn.to/3VujnSY]
Tools:
Putty knife [amzn.to/3CCOuTo]
Artist's paintbrush [amzn.to/3euGonW]
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From the makers of This Old House, America’s first and most trusted home improvement show, Ask This Old House answers the steady stream of home improvement questions asked by viewers across the United States. Covering topics from landscaping to electrical to HVAC and plumbing to painting and more. Ask This Old House features the experts from This Old House, including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor. ASK This Old House helps you protect and preserve your greatest investment-your home.
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How to Fix Cracked and Chipped Porcelain Tile | Ask This Old House
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[@jej3451]

Cheaper solution: Use fingernail polish. It comes in different tones that match popular tiles, including beige. Let it dry, then remove any excess with fingernail polish remover.

[@thestomach]

I did this to the chipped/cracked tiles in my bathroom and pantry. I used cheap dollar store fingernail polish, and mixed a couple of colours together to get just the right shade. It held up for years, and still looked good when I sold that place.

[@BWIL2515]

Great idea I've been in construction and remodeling for 48 years and never thought of that man the headaches you could have saved me

[@tengoken4313]

​@@thestomach could you fill a slight crack and paint over it with nail polish?

[@Skans-Gustav]

Looks a bit messy there. Surely there is excessive touch up to be done yet. I would beware of this method.

[@christophern.9234]

That's gonna be sooooo noticeable I would think.

[@leslieaharden6183]

Thanks. Between the demo and everyone's comments, I'd like to try repairing tile and a 70's (steel & porcelain?) bathtub.

[@FrederikRoikjer]

I like this video a lot. Unfortunately, the link to the putty used for the divot on top does not seem to be correct. Can you point me to the product used in the video?

[@cerir4033]

did I miss the part where they show what brand they used? I've spent a lot of time reading reviews, I don't what to have to purchase one of each to find out which works well and which brands shrink, discolor or do something that is undesirable. I would think the professionals here, would know what products work the best... save the consumer the problems finding out for ourselves?

[@6atlantis]

This is a very thin putty you are using and exactly what I’m looking for but the link in the description brought me to Locktite putty which doesn’t have the consistency I need. What’s the name of the product(second product) in the video? Tia

[@panteraptg]

Show me the final result !!! everyone can put some thing on the tile,

[@Justinmazing]

Right!? Like don't they realize there's more than one shade of white?

[@spectremanLIVE1]

Saving this!

[@garrettmandujano2996]

Well this is handy!

[@Mr.Pop0]

Id ditch the tape and just feather it with a knife. The tape is gonna leave some build-up you're not gonna be able to remove without ruining the job.

[@jab5915]

Ugh, why bother producing a video like this if you refuse to show the results?

[@chrisreynolds2410]

They showed the results it came out awesome

[@vrea77]

That's T.V for you

[@franceskana8769]

That and also why don't they zoom in the camera to see the spots they are working on?

[@hawkins55]

That was fixing a scratch, not a crack!

[@phillipedwards7022]

Does not show the end result which is frustrating.

[@ASUSproz]

How about hairline crack? And don't you need to sand it?

[@hassanfaheem7356]

Glass is also patchable these days

[@avalon449]

What! No end result that we can see?

[@oogiesmuncher]

guarantee it looks like crap. Sure better than a raw scratch but still obvious

[@oldtwinsna8347]

Mauro's results are usually less than stellar. Streak marks, overspray, hacked patch jobs, etc. His attention to fine detail work is quite lacking. Probably why the didn't want to show it.

[@OllyDawson]

Did I miss the bit where they showed us what it actually looked like when it was done?

[@ncooty]

That showed barely half of the job.

[@jjjohn5914]

Must have turn out very bad since they dont show the end result. Useless video. Btw ...the product in bottle is porc-a-fix

[@OldJoeCurwen]

But what is the product in the tube?

[@wheresbicki]

Is Mauros eye two different colors? Or does he have glaucoma?

[@acerjuglans383]

Wouldve been nice to see the finished result.

[@U2BER2012]

Where's Roseanne?

[@smokey2540]

That doesn’t look like a crack or chip? Looks more like a scratch.

[@OldJoeCurwen]

3:29 -- Look at that. They went as far as taping over the product label. What douchery.

[@nova31337]

#NotSponsored

[@hitzdaskinz]

Lmao. What a hack.

[@johnmolnar2957]

Wow, I can't believe they posted this. pure crap . that patch is a mess. Mauro just gobs the stuff on. it will look like an amateur patch once it's dried. of the shelf touch up paint will NOT match colour wise, These guys are really stretching for content

[@cerir4033]

I've been researching to repair a chipin the edge of the toilet tank (thanks plumbers). I've looked at several "home repair" online sites, mostly... useless. What they are showing fall short of the result an amateur should be able to achieve. I'm just a crafter... I can get a smoother application of JB Weld in a repair... What I hoped for was to learn what products don't shrink or discolor... don't become to hard to work with while you are blending a putty, or form air bubbles after mixing resins. I expected more from "the pros".

[@Yorkie285]

Looks like crap.

[@epworks3799]

This video was just for wasting time, everyone could do this without watching this, and u also didn't show the result, it becomes more waste

[@tomgreene7942]

That's not a crack. A gouge, scrape, divot, whatever, but not a crack. Useless Click bait.

[@jonc2914]

Wow thats worthless... all he did was paint the scratch....

[@tbone8713]

This is Bush league

[@JourneysTravels]

Kevin is looking really old nowadays …

[@davidnabbit]

That does tend to happen as we age.

[@danreynolds8028]

Useless video.