Metal/enamel tiles? Advice on repair

sherab · 10-30-2012, 08:42 PM

Hi folks, my girlfriend is moving out of her condo and her bathroom is half covered in white tiles that appear to be metal tiles with an enamel coating. We are getting the place ready to rent in a couple of months and were looking to fix a few of the tiles that are chipping. I thought I'd check and see if anyone had any words of wisdom as to how I would go about filling in the chipping and hopefully advice on how to reseal the whole shebang after I fill in the chipping. I thought the solution might be Porc a Fix but I find it always a better idea to seek confirmation from those wiser.

Thanks so much!
Julian

**oh'mike** · 10-30-2012, 08:55 PM

That is something I never heard of----Do you have a picture from further back?

To me it looks like rust in the grout---perhaps from behind the tiles----If so--removing the grout and replacing with new may be the only fix needed.

sherab · 10-30-2012, 09:06 PM

Thanks for your quick response oh'mike. There is some rust, I'm guessing coming from the metal. I'll take any advice anyone has at this point.

**oh'mike** · 10-30-2012, 09:35 PM

Scrape out a but of the rusty grout and see if the tile is metal---I never heard of enameled steel tile---try a magnet---

sherab · 10-30-2012, 10:11 PM

Oh man, a magnet! Thanks! I tried that and it definitely doesn't stick. I was thinking that maybe the gray stuff underneath was metal but apparently not. It definitely looks like enamel (paint-like) as opposed to what one would generally think of as ceramic or porcelain. Thanks again for your great advice.

**oh'mike** · 10-30-2012, 10:37 PM

What that looks like to me is a ceramic tile with grey grout--that has been painted---likely by a bathtub refinishing out fit---Fix up for sale 'hider job'

sherab · 10-30-2012, 10:40 PM

Thanks for helping me to solve this mystery. The white peels away like paint and what's underneath is grey. Grey ceramic tiles covered by white paint you think? Many thanks for taking the time to look at this.

**oh'mike** · 10-30-2012, 10:49 PM

I've see that more than once--cheap trick---

sdsester · 10-31-2012, 09:19 AM

Of course your challenge remains what to do with it? How much is she willing to put into fixing this? If you are going to keep the condo as a rental, you might as well bite the bullet and do it right---if you have the money. Otherwise, some of those bath restoration places that drop panels in place along with tub and shower inserts yield baths that look decent and might buy you some time.