Obvious scratches on new porcelain floor -what to do?

[Unregistered]

Hi, I'm hoping for a bit of advice here. Yesterday my shiney new grey porcelain floor tiles were laid onto a devimat heating system ( on foam onto concrete). I suspect that the tiler had grit or a bit of tile chip on his knee pad as there are several deep scratches down to the white porcelain underbase on 2 tiles, just about where he was kneeling working on the shower plinth.
Whilst I can live with small surface imperfections, 'cos the tiles are dark and the scratches obvious I think that there is nothing to do but to take them up and replace and the tiler has suggested this. He says that he hasn't taken many tiles up off heat mats though.
My worry is that this quite possibly may damage the heat mat and then we are back to chasing our tails and doing yet another job to rectify ie taking up the whole floor and putting in a new mat.
How likely is damage to the mat?
As an alternative does anyone know of any way we can just do a simple repair to the tiles themselves ?
Many thanks

 

[DHTiling]

Were your tiles laid directly onto the devi mat or was a leveller applied first..?

 

[Unregistered]

Hi, thanks for such a quick response.
Difficult for me to say. I think just onto the bed of adhesive compound. When I spoke to the tiler he said the tile would have to be peeled off gently.
Thanks again

 

[DHTiling]

It will a case of try and see what happens....but you can get repair kits for the ufh no probs if it was damaged......
The only problem is that it voids your warranty if a repair is needed but it is not the end of the world....as long as it can be repaired and still works....but you will not know until you try and remove the tiles...


most of all good luck and let us know how you get on and maybe even sign up as a member and then it will be easier to let us know how you get on...

 

[Unregistered]

Thanks Dave.
Your advice is helpful as I have been unsure what to do and it seems that you feel that we should try and replace the duff tiles.
Would it be obvious if the mat were damaged or should the tiles be removed and the mat checked by the electrician before the replacement tiles are laid.

 

[DHTiling]

Firstly..if you can live with the scratches then do so, but if you really want to replace the tiles then you will have to take the chance....

Yes once the tiles have been removed you will have to check the mat before refixing the new tiles.....

If your tiler takes it really carefully you might get away with no damage....it really is a try and see what happens situation...

 

[Rob Z]

Hi

I know it is too late for your problem, but for future readers, this is why we always put a paint-on membrane or Ditra over the SLC on a heat mat-if we ever need to pull out a damaged tile the membrane gives a surface to pull the tile away from rather than getting down into the SLC and wires.

 

[Uheat]

Firstly..if you can live with the scratches then do so, but if you really want to replace the tiles then you will have to take the chance....

Yes once the tiles have been removed you will have to check the mat before refixing the new tiles.....

If your tiler takes it really carefully you might get away with no damage....it really is a try and see what happens situation...

As Dave has said, if your tiler is very careful then should get away with no damage but ensure that the mats are retested before laying tiles again. If any damage you can then get a repair kit but like Dave has said this would void guarantee.

 

[Unregistered]

Thank you to all who have replied. It is helping me make my mind up about what we should do.
And as they say - 'a problem shared is a problem halved'