Services | Like-Nu Tile

Our knowledgeable staff looks forward to answering any questions and to assist you in your tile needs. We can help you diagnose your needs and in most cases offer price quotes over the phone. Most repairs and restoration jobs are completed in less than one day and ready to use in 24 hours. Whether homeowner, industry professional or tradesman please feel free to contact us through phone, e-mail, or our website to speak with a courteous professional. We are licensed, bonded and insured.

Before	We offer the following services:	After
	Grout Repair Caulking Replacement Cleaning Tile Repair Sealing Installations

GROUT REPAIR

Cement based material between tiles can deteriorate, leaving gaps where moisture can penetrate and destroy the walls or floor behind the tile.

The average life of shower and countertop grout is approximately 15 years. With the use specialized hand tools, Like-Nu Tile technicians scrape out loose, cracked or powdery joints. This prepares the areas for reinstallation or refilling of each joint with the proper cement based grout. We make every effort to match the shade and color of existing grouts. The tile is then buffed and the grout sealed. Any major joint seams such as where the walls meet floors, counters meet splashes, walls meet bathtubs, and around edges of sinks are caulked.

CAULKING

This material is necessary to allow major joints to move without cracking the joint seal. This flexible compound is found in the main joints between a bathtub and tile or along shower wall seams and around sinks. It usually has a life of about 2 to 3 years.

Caulked areas are scraped away and an evaporative cleaner is used to remove excess caulking materials and dry out the seam. New flexible caulking is placed at major seams such as where walls meet each other and walls meet a bathtub or shower floor. This caulking allows for minor movement of the installation without cracking out. New technologies allow for larger color selections to closely match existing grout colors.

CLEANING

Most showers, counters or floors accumulate dirt and deposits that can allow mold, mildew and bacteria to grow. This can take away from the beauty of your tile investment and in some cases be a health issue. Harsh cleaning chemicals can ruin the durability of the grout and tile; lessening its life.

With proper care and maintenance, a tile or stone installation can last decades.
Like-Nu Tile’s restorations service removes unsightly build up of soap scum, body oils and deposits. Soiled areas are dissolved with commercial cleaners and specialty strippers; each are applied by hand scrubbing which allows deep cleaning into each grout joint and the tile surface to make your surface look like new and functional for a longer period of time.
Our knowledge and experience ensures the choice of correct cleaners that won’t damage the factory finish on your stone or tile. Our cleaning process contains a high temperature pressure vapor steam rinse that extracts dirt and kills mold and bacteria to expose a sanitized surface ready for sealing. Top quality sealers are then applied to keep the grout, tile and stone properly intact over time and make it easy to clean and maintain for the future.

Restoration of an installation accomplishes getting the area back to like new condition. It is an excellent way to update your kitchen or bath. Compared with replacement, restoration is very cost effective and can be completed with little down time. Once completed it lets you again easily handle the regular maintenance.

TILE REPAIR

Broken tiles are the leading cause of installations breaking down. A loose or cracked tile can allow moisture to penetrate below; loosening tile adhesion and causing damage to neighboring tiles.
If caught in time, Like-Nu Tile is able to replace cracked or broken tiles with no damage to additional tiles.

In some situations the only way to correct damaged tile is through replacement. Water damaged backers behind the tile can cause further damage if left to be. Our repairs include careful removal of loose or broken tiles, moisture damaged wallboard and proper preparation of the surface below. The wallboard is then replaced with water proof cement type tile backer and new the tiles installed. Grouting the area with proper cement based grout finishes the job. Making a repaired area look like the original is Like-Nu Tile’s expertise.

SEALING

Sealers are designed to protect porous areas and to form a temporary barrier that resists moisture. All installations should be sealed to preserve usefulness and appearance Sealers do not water proof but offer protection against staining and deterioration of grout, Sealers vary in their make-up and use depending on the type of tile, stone and grout used. The longevity of the effectiveness of sealers depends on factors such as use, cleaning methods, water contaminants, etc.

Like-Nu Tile comes in and seals the area of damage. Like-Nu Tile employees are educated in the most recent advances in many top quality sealers. There are many different types of sealers available today and knowing which is best for your type of tile or stone is a necessity. The choice of water or solvent based, impregnating, topical or penetrating, and the proper technique in usage are all considered prior to application.

INSTALLATIONS

Much goes into the concept of tile installations. Experience helps in identifying the proper method, substrate, layout, and products to be used. The use of incorrect adhesives or setting to a poor surface can lead to failure to your investment.

With over 20 years of experience Like-Nu Tile can ensure the proper installment and completion of your tile project. With old craftsman experience and knowledge our installations are meant to last for years.

Call us 503-691-9001 in Portland, Oregon and 360-699-0606 in Vancouver, Washington
or fill out our online contact form.