How to Repair Four-Inch Clay Drain Tiles

Drain tiles help keep your basement from flooding, but they can be a major problem when they break. Although most houses built today have plastic foundation tiles, many older houses built prior to the 1950s have ceramic ones. You can repair these using a two-part epoxy putty. When mixed together and cured, this putty forms a hard, waterproof, potable resin useful for all manner of repairs. It allows you to repair your drain tiles rather than replace them.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Drain tiles
• Neoprene gloves
• Sculpting epoxy
• Gloves

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Dig up the broken tiles. Retrieve all broken pieces.

   • 2

     Break off two equally large chunks of putty with your gloved hands. Knead the two globs of putty together thoroughly for two minutes.

   • 3

     Roll the mixed putty into a long strip. Score the surface of the putty in an uneven manner. Do this on both sides of the strip.

   • 4

     Place the strip of epoxy along the ragged edge of one of the broken pieces. Join it to the rest of the tile as seamlessly as you can. Leave no holes.

   • 5

     Repeat for all breaks and allow the epoxy to cure for a day.