A chipped tile doesn’t always mean taking up the floor. Small chips, cracks and holes in porcelain, ceramic and natural stone tiles can usually be filled with a two-part resin filler, tinted to match and finished flush, so the damage is hard to spot. This guide shows you how to fix a chipped tile step by step, using the same method we use with our tile repair kits.
What you’ll need
- Tile and Stone Repair Resin Filler (Part A filler and Part B hardener) in white or cream
- TileMaster Filler Tints to match the colour of your tile
- A filling knife and a clean, sharp blade
- Good-quality masking tape
- A tile cleaner suited to your surface, and a vacuum
- A piece of card to mix on
- Protective gloves and eye protection
The easiest way to get started is the Porcelain Repair Kit – Basic Bundle, which includes white filler with hardener and five tints (brown, yellow, black, red and green).
Before you start: safety
The resin filler contains styrene. It is a flammable liquid and vapour, causes skin and serious eye irritation, is suspected of damaging the unborn child and causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure. Work in a well-ventilated area, keep it away from heat, sparks and naked flames (no smoking), wear protective gloves and eye protection, and keep it out of reach of children. Read the Safety Data Sheet before you begin. Once set, the resin is harder than most stone and very difficult to remove from skin, so keep your gloves on throughout.
Step 1: Assess the chip
Look closely at the damage. Resin filler is designed for chips, cracks, holes and screw holes, including chipped mitred edges. Very deep areas may need filling in two stages. Check whether the tile is porcelain, ceramic or natural stone, and whether its finish is polished or matt, as this affects colour matching and finishing (see the tips below). If you’re not sure the tile can be repaired, send us a photo on WhatsApp and we’ll advise.
Step 2: Clean and degrease
Filler bonds best to a clean surface. Remove any loose pieces of tile, dirt and grease from the chip, clean the area with a suitable tile cleaner, then vacuum away the remaining dust. Let it dry before you continue. Apply masking tape around the chip so excess filler stays off the surface of the tile.
Step 3: Mix and tint the filler
Put enough filler (Part A) for the repair on a piece of card. Choose your base: white suits most porcelain and ceramic tiles, while cream is a good starting point for travertine and limestone. Adding a little brown tint to white filler gives a range of cream shades.
Add tint a tiny amount at a time and mix well until the colour matches your tile – the tints are very concentrated, so a little goes a long way. Compare the colour against the tile in good light.
When you’re happy with the colour, add the hardener (Part B) at about 3%: roughly a pea-sized amount of hardener to a golf-ball-sized amount of filler. Mix thoroughly. From this point you have about 15 minutes before the mix becomes unworkable, so only mix what you need.
Step 4: Apply the filler
Using a filling knife, press the filler firmly into the chip, working it in well to avoid air gaps. Fill until it is level with the masking tape. For very deep chips, fill in two stages rather than all at once.
Step 5: Level and cure
Leave the filler for a few minutes until it starts to harden. Then remove the masking tape and scrape off the excess with a clean, sharp blade so the repair sits flush with the tile. Once the filler is completely hard – about 1 hour – a floor can be walked on and used as normal. Curing time can vary with the amount of filler used and site conditions.
Step 6: Sand or polish to finish
Once hard, the filler can be polished in line with the existing shine on your tiles. On edges and mitres, use a progressive sandpaper set – coarse to shape, medium to refine and fine to finish – such as our Porcelain Mitre Sandpaper Set. Check the repair in good light and, if needed, apply a small top-up of filler to refine the finish or colour match.
Tips for different tile types
Porcelain tiles
- White filler is usually the best base for porcelain; tint towards greys and beiges a little at a time.
- For chipped mitred edges, worktops and external corners, use a Porcelain Mitre Edge Kit. The Pro kit includes both cream and white filler plus sandpapers.
- On polished porcelain, polish the repair to match the shine. On matt porcelain, finish the repair flush with the tile surface.
Ceramic tiles
- Clean ceramic tiles with a ceramic and porcelain cleaner before filling, such as the Cleaner No.1 included in our Clean & Repair Bundle.
- Patterned or glazed wall tiles may need several tints mixed together – test the colour on card first.
Natural stone
- Cream filler or white filler with a little brown tint suits travertine and limestone.
- Use small amounts of tint to recreate veins and fossils so holes blend into the stone.
- Use a natural stone cleaner first. Our Stone Repair Kit includes Natural Stone Tile Cleaner No.2 and a water-based sealer for protecting the area afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
Can I fix a chipped tile without replacing it?
Yes. Chips, cracks, holes and screw holes in porcelain, ceramic and natural stone tiles can be filled with a tinted two-part resin filler and finished flush with the tile.
How long does tile repair filler take to set?
Once the hardener is mixed in you have about 15 minutes of working time. After about 1 hour the filler is completely hard and a floor can be walked on. Times vary with the amount used and site conditions.
How do I match the filler to my tile colour?
Start with white or cream filler and add filler tints a tiny amount at a time, mixing well and checking against the tile. Brown tint added to white filler gives cream shades.
How much hardener should I use?
About 3% hardener to filler – roughly a pea-sized amount of hardener to a golf-ball-sized amount of filler.
Can I repair a chipped tile edge or mitre?
Yes. Our Porcelain Mitre Edge Kits are designed for edges that chip during cutting or installation on porcelain tiles, worktops, steps and external corners.
Is tile repair filler safe to use indoors?
Yes, with the right precautions. The filler is flammable and contains styrene, so use it in a well-ventilated room, keep it away from heat and naked flames, wear gloves and eye protection and read the Safety Data Sheet before use.
Ready to repair? Shop the Porcelain Repair Kit – Basic Bundle or browse all tile repair kits.