Thread: Waterproof patio tiles

Hi there

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with Sydney companies that regrout / seal outdoor tiles to prevent water damage to patios. Our building inspection report says:

Minor surface rot has occurred to surface of floor joists supporting floor sheeting of tiled rear patio/deck. This deterioration has not caused structural damage. This is due to water seeping through grout joints of floor tiles and penetrating floor sheeting. This can only occur if surface of floor sheeting beneath floor tiles has no or defective waterproof membrane. A waterproof membrane would need to be applied to surface of floor sheeting beneath tiles if further deterioration of floor joists is to be avoided.

We can also see cracks in the grout and calcium(?) damage to the tiles.

We'd love to avoid having to rip it all up and retile (we're thinking of extending out here one day, so don't want to spend heaps on the patio now), but we don't want to waste our money on useless 'band-aid solutions' that don't fix the problem. There seems to be heaps of companies that do this sort of work ... does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations?

Cheers!

Jay

As you say there are companies that do this type of work.

Some of them reseal tiles in wet area like showers, I have seen the end results and would not advise anyone to use this on a balcony, way too much movement.

It's not a great success even in a stable base as it's only s thin layer of resin applied to the surface, most waterproofers would have seen it and carried out repairs, this means starting all over again.

You could try removing the old grout and replacing it with an epoxy based grout, but it's no fun to apply as you have to stop and clean off the area avvery few minutes before it sets and will be hell to clean off.

Also note, epoxy is not very flexible and needs a stable base, so the temporary cure may not last long.

I have seen a more flexible outdoor polyurethane sealant used, must have a nightmare to apply but could provide some temporary relief, you would have to remove most of the original grout though.

How long has the original waterproofing down, you might still have some warranty left.

Good luck.

Thanks! The waterproofing would be over 20 years old (if in fact there ever was any). We've just moved in and are slowly fixing some dodgy DIY jobs from previous owners, so this may be another example!

Might be worth a drive to Bunnings, in the trade section you will find an area with a heap of
tile sealers not sure if these are just for the tile themselves or also help seal the grout.
Some come in 500mm cans to 20 litre buckets.