# Anyone patched a shower tile drill hole to look unnoticeable?



## Caslon (Dec 15, 2007)

First of all, I'm surprised there isn't a Tiling trade section among the trade forums here. I would have posted there. There's a Specialty Trade forum, but not many posts from tile contractors. 

I lease a condo. I bought a rather heavy shower radio recently. I don't trust those stick ons to hold. I've had something fall off into the bathtub at 4:00AM, and the noise it makes can be heard 5 doors down. It's loud!

I was thinking of drilling two very small holes in the shower tile to hold the shower radio. I'm concerned about how the patched holes will look when I move out. There are kits that cost $89. Too expensive. 

Anyone used anything affordable to patch tile drilled holes? Were you able to make the patch look unnoticeable? Something other than caulk?


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## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

Caslon said:


> First of all, I'm surprised there isn't a Tiling trade section among the trade forums here. I would have posted there. There's a Specialty Trade forum, but not many posts from tile contractors.
> 
> I lease a condo. I bought a rather heavy shower radio recently. I don't trust those stick ons to hold. I've had something fall off into the bathtub at 4:00AM, and the noise it makes can be heard 5 doors down. It's loud!
> 
> ...


I did for one customer and it came out surprisingly good and unnoticeable to the naked eye so to speak, don't remember exactly what I used, I think it was porcelain repair kit or porcelain touch up glaze (it was like 20 yrs ago) and I remember adding a little nail polish to match color.

Today they got better stuff, I don't get to many request for these types of repair but today they have ceramic tile repair kits today, I'm sure you can find something in any box store and as long as you try it first someplace less noticeable and get tile color match (most important thing) you will get it fixed.


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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

From the owner's perspective, the "repaired" hole will look like "wtf?!" damage. I wouldn't advise it.

Maybe hang it from a shower caddy?
https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/st...er-caddy-in-satin/1045565168?categoryId=13447
.
Or run a scrap piece of 12 ga insulated wire between the shower head and the curtain rod, then hang it off that.


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## KAP (Feb 19, 2011)

If you have to actually drill to attach your shower radio, drill in the grout area not the tile... much easier to fill if you're going that route...

Or you could use products like these...






Or get a radio that can hang by a strap... https://www.sharperimage.com/si/view/product/Waterproof+Shower+Radio/200807

Shower radios aren't that heavy, so you can also silicone some magnets to the shower wall, and glue steel washers to the back of the radio... When you leave, use a glass scraper to remove the magnets... it's not going anywhere...

With any of the options above, no repair kits to buy or mess with... :thumbsup:


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Caslon said:


> First of all, I'm surprised there isn't a Tiling trade section among the trade forums here. I would have posted there. There's a Specialty Trade forum, but not many posts from tile contractors.
> 
> I lease a condo. I bought a rather heavy shower radio recently. I don't trust those stick ons to hold. I've had something fall off into the bathtub at 4:00AM, and the noise it makes can be heard 5 doors down. It's loud!
> 
> ...


Tiling is under flooring.

Drill through the grout and don't damage the tile.


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## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

I just read the OP, when I gave my advise I only read the headline.

The repair I did was for a customer at her request, she changed some towel bars and the new ones didn't cover a few holes. 

I wouldn't do anything to a rental unit with plans to patch/fix later, especially messing with tile.

With that being said, wtf you doing in the shower that you have to mount a radio? Find a better method to sharpen your pencil using five finger combination without serenades :laughing:


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

greg24k said:


> I just read the OP, when I gave my advise I only read the headline.
> 
> The repair I did was for a customer at her request, she changed some towel bars and the new ones didn't cover a few holes.
> 
> ...


I guess some guys just can't have a wank without the soothing voice of Rush Limbaugh.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

Caslon said:


> First of all, I'm surprised there isn't a Tiling trade section among the trade forums here. I would have posted there. There's a Specialty Trade forum, but not many posts from tile contractors.
> 
> I lease a condo. I bought a rather heavy shower radio recently. I don't trust those stick ons to hold. I've had something fall off into the bathtub at 4:00AM, and the noise it makes can be heard 5 doors down. It's loud!
> 
> ...


Someone moved you to it. It's the last selection of the Trades sections.

$89 is cheap to repair tile so that it looks un-noticeable. Caulk isn't a bad option if it's color matched. Why can't you just drill the holes in the grout lines and just repair the grout?


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

inner10 said:


> tiling is under flooring.
> 
> Drill through the grout and don't damage the tile.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

TNTSERVICES said:


> View attachment 349241


No ****, I thought it was inside flooring for some reason.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

Inner10 said:


> No ****, I thought it was inside flooring for some reason.


If you use the app or Tapatalk it shows up in the old section.


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## Evan1968 (Dec 5, 2010)

Get this....
http://m.homedepot.com/p/Showerdoor...me0UVX-VW8RUCsScDjB_rDK0hR9NWBtOFhhoCX7rw_wcB


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## KAP (Feb 19, 2011)

So Calson, what'd you end up doing?


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## Caslon (Dec 15, 2007)

greg24k said:


> I just read the OP, when I gave my advise I only read the headline.
> 
> With that being said, wtf you doing in the shower that you have to mount a radio? Find a better method to sharpen your pencil using five finger combination without serenades :laughing:


Let's see, I'd say about 5 million shower radios are manufactured in the US annually. Get out of the 1930's Mr. Out of Touch Dufus.


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## Caslon (Dec 15, 2007)

KAP said:


> So Calson, what'd you end up doing?


I just bought a Sangean H201 shower radio. It has a mounting plate, but the plastic mounting plate holes don't match up with the tile grout. I could just drill another hole in the plate where it meets up with the grout line. The grout lines are pretty thin tho. I'll probably hang it from a hook in the ceiling using 10 lb weight fishing line. It's a bit heavy at 2.79 lbs. so using Velcro adhesive strips would eventually fail and peel off. I'd rather have a clean look without a fishing line showing.

I'd drill holes in the tile if the professional tile hole repair kits didn't cost $89. I've seen a video of such a product being used and they really can make the tile hole patch look completely invisible, even on expensive marble tile.

Thanks for the replies, mostly.


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## koa (Feb 15, 2011)

You could glue the plate to the wall with 3M 5200, then slice it off with a razor blade later.


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## Caslon (Dec 15, 2007)

koa said:


> You could glue the plate to the wall with 3M 5200, then slice it off with a razor blade later.


Thanks, noted. The adhesive on peel and "stick ons" don't stay on tile. Tile is hard and non-porous. A Velcro pack of adhesive Stick Ons says it holds up to 3 lbs. That's only if the adhesive backing bothers to stick to tile (over time). They don't.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

Caslon said:


> Let's see, I'd say about 5 million shower radios are manufactured in the US annually. Get out of the 1930's Mr. Out of Touch Dufus.


So about 5 million teenagers have their own shower and rosie palm themselves to lady gaga.

U B in elite crowd spanking with the zitters................:laughing:


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## PrecisionFloors (Jan 24, 2006)

Caslon said:


> Thanks, noted. The adhesive on peel and "stick ons" don't stay on tile. Tile is hard and non-porous. A Velcro pack of adhesive Stick Ons says it holds up to 3 lbs. That's only if the adhesive backing bothers to stick to tile (over time). They don't.


5200 will stick to anything...I mean anything. It's a marine adhesive. I'd go that route myself :thumbsup:


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

PrecisionFloors said:


> 5200 will stick to anything...I mean anything. It's a marine adhesive. I'd go that route myself :thumbsup:


That stuff sure does stick to anything, long cure time but it works well


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## philcav7 (Jan 15, 2009)

3M makes a weatherproof double sided tape. I have a toy caddy that used suction cups to hold it to shower walls, but they didn't hold more than a couple days. The 3M tape has been going for 3 years now. 

...for clarity, the caddy holds my sons bath toys. Keep your minds outta the gutter


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

3M dual lock...sucker won't go nowhere.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

superseal said:


> 3M dual lock...sucker won't go nowhere.


Dual Lock uses VHB adhesive. IMHO the strongest tape to grace gods green earth.


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## J L (Nov 16, 2009)

Inner10 said:


> Dual Lock uses VHB adhesive. IMHO the strongest tape to grace gods green earth.


I've got two 100 watt solar panels mounted onto the roof of my van with 3m vhb tape. 

And don't use 5200 adhesive. It says permanent for a reason. 4200 is removable but still sticks to anything.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

Indeed...VHB= very high bond


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

I do simulated divided light with VHB...perfect for this application and I can get it back off, even though it's a bugger.


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