A cobblestone floor adds the beauty of the outside to the inside of your home with an old world charm. Floors made of cobblestone are known for handling an abundance of traffic without showing immediate signs of wear and tear. While these type floors are known for their enduring qualities, they are heavy and can be brittle in some cases. There are times that you may need to repair a section of your cobblestone floor. Doing the repairs yourself is not as difficult as you may think. With the proper instruction and tools, you can make repairs to your floor on your own.
What You'll Need:
- Safety Goggles
- Paintable Caulk
- Artist's Paint Brush
- Acrylic Paint
- Grout
- Grout Saw
- Hammer
- Small Chisel
- Sponge
- Rubber Grout Float
Step 1 - Repairing Grout
One of the most common issues with cobblestone floors is the cracking of the grout between the stones. This can happen because of the natural movement of your house or earthquakes. Cracks start out small and are often overlooked and attention is not immediately given to them. When water seeps into the cracks, they become larger and will need fresh grout.
Use a grout saw to remove the damaged grout from around the stones vacuum up the debris. Mix the new grout in accordance to the manufacturer's directions. Use the rubber grout float to pour the grout onto the affected area around the stones and smooth out with your finger. Once the grout is in place, allow it to rest for 30 minutes and use a damp sponge to wipe the excess grout from the surface of the stones.
Step 2 - Repairing Stone Tile
If you have a cobblestone floor that is tile instead instead of grout placed around actual stone, you may experience one or more spaces in your floor where the tile has cracked. If the crack in the tile is small, you will be able to repair it by using a paintable caulk to seal the crack in the tile. Once the caulk is applied and dried, use an acrylic paint as close to the color of the tile as possible and paint the tile. Using an artist's paintbrush will allow you to paint the caulk easier.
Step 3 - Replacing Stone Tile
If the crack in your tile is too large, your only option is to replace the tile. If you have tile leftover when you laid your cobblestone tile, having an exact match won't be an issue. However, if you have no tile leftover, you should consult the place that you purchased your tile and purchase the exact matching tile or you may have to order the match.
Use a hammer and small chisel to remove damaged tile from the floor. Ensure that you hammer the chisel carefully so as not to damage neighboring pieces of tile. Once the tile is removed, you will need to put the new tile in place and grout it. The new grout will be obvious around the new tile. Staining the grout after it has dried is a solution to make it look like the rest of the grout.
Source: www.DoItYourself.com
