Home maintenance advice for repairing swollen or cracked red brick tiles

Red brick tiles in courtyards may swell, crack, or burst due to sudden thermal expansion from sunlight, uneven cement shrinkage, or insufficient grout spacing during installation.

For immediate safety, homeowners should cordon off areas where tiles are making popping sounds, as bursting tiles can eject sharp fragments. Covering the area with a tarp or heavy cloth can help mitigate flying debris.

For minor damage where tiles are swollen but intact, the recommended fix involves drilling a small hole (approximately 1.5cm deep) into the grout line to release trapped air. After cleaning the hole with a vacuum or air blower, specialized chemicals can be injected into the void, followed by applying weight to secure the tile to the base.

In cases of severe damage where tiles have shattered, the damaged section must be removed and replaced. This process requires using a handheld cutter along the grout lines to isolate the damaged area, removing the broken tiles and old mortar down to the concrete base, and cleaning the surface before re-laying new materials.