plasterrepairshowertile
My shower had two towel bar anchors mounted on the shower wall when I moved in.
Eventually, one of the anchors has broken, and taken the plaster it was mounted to with it. This has left a 2 in. hole in the wall surrounded by tile, and no exposed surface to fix any replacement wall to without tearing out additional tile.
I don't care about replacing the anchor (I hated it), but I need to figure out how to fill the hole permanently before the moisture sets into the wall cavity.
Any suggestions?
The job will be much easier with a hammer drill, or a drill with a hammer option. Though it can be done using a regular drill, given enough time and patience.
You'll also want to put a masonry bit in that hammer drill. A carbide bit is the choice of champions.
Similar to the Squeeze, Push, and Wait. Except that you pull the bit out of the hole from time to time, to clear any dust and debris from the hole.
I'd consider canned spray foam around 2 or more pipes slightly back in the wall cavity (not around the valve itself). The foam should have enough flexibility to handle expansion, and the wide contact area should provide solid stability.
Be sure to use window & door (minimal expansion) foam so you don't bulge your drywall.
Best Answer
You've got three separate problems:
I'd start by removing the grout around the broken tile with a grout saw, and prying the tile off.
Next, I'd take a look at the rest of the wall behind the tile... if it is in good condition, I'd make a sheetrock patch using cement backer board. Next I'd try to find a tile that looks close enough and replace the broken tile with it. Alternatively, you could cut the broken tile square (so it looks like the US state of Utah), and find a complementary color and cut that to fit the missing piece.
Re-install the missing tiles and re-grout the area.
If the wall has a lot of moisture, I'd stick a dehumidifier in there for a while and see if the wall can be saved. Otherwise this could get quite expensive quite quickly...