Kitchen disaster

[DarkKnight]

A few tiles fell off or were removed by hand from my kitchen wall above the stove after part of the exhaust system came down. Can I reattach the tiles myself with cement, or is this a job for a professional? I'll address the exhaust system later.

[machinist]

Hi DK!

Ah, I hope anyone didn't get hurt. Based on the images, it looks like reattaching the tiles is something you could tackle yourself. The surface where the tiles came off is a bit rough, but as long as you clean it up properly and remove any loose material, you should be able to apply new adhesive and get the tiles back in place. Instead of cement, I’d recommend using tile adhesive or thin-set mortar. It’s more suitable for this kind of job and will hold the tiles more securely.

You’ll want to spread the adhesive evenly on the wall using a notched trowel, then press the tiles firmly into place. If needed, use spacers to make sure everything lines up with the remaining tiles. After the adhesive dries, you can apply grout to fill the gaps between the tiles and finish off the job. Once that’s set, you could also apply a sealant if the area gets exposed to a lot of moisture or grease.

It’s definitely doable as a DIY project, but if you’re concerned about getting the tiles aligned perfectly or if the exhaust system might disturb them again when you fix it, getting a professional’s opinion might be helpful. For now, if the exhaust repair can wait, reattaching the tiles should be a relatively straightforward fix.

[DarkKnight]

Thank you machinist!