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I've discovered a hairline crack in one of the tiles in my shower, and I'm concerned that replacing it might compromise the waterproofing and I don’t have the money for major repairs please advise on how to fix this as a short to mid term solution
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @CJM70. It's fantastic to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about a cracked tile.
This is a really common worry, and the good news is that a hairline crack in a single shower floor tile is usually not an emergency or a sign that everything underneath has failed.
It helps to understand how a tiled shower is designed to work. Even when there are no cracks at all, water still passes through the grout because grout is naturally porous. That moisture is expected and planned for. Under the tiles and adhesive there should be a waterproof membrane, and its job is to catch any water that gets through the grout or minor imperfections and direct it safely to the waste. Because of that, a small hairline crack in a tile does not automatically mean water damage is occurring, as long as the membrane below is intact and was installed correctly.
For a short-term to mid-term solution, you may not actually need to do anything structural at all. In many cases, the crack is more of an aesthetic issue than a functional one, and the membrane underneath is still doing its job. Replacing the tile is where the real risk comes in, because removing a floor tile can damage the membrane below. Once a membrane is compromised, it usually cannot be reliably patch repaired in a small area, and proper repair often means removing all the tiles, reapplying the membrane, and retiling the entire floor, which is understandably not what you want right now.
If you want to reduce the chance of water tracking through the crack, you could fill the crack with a suitable epoxy filler designed for wet areas. These products are typically white or light grey, so they can stand out visually, but they do seal the crack and limit water entry. After that, applying a quality tile and grout sealer over the entire shower floor can add another layer of protection and help slow down moisture penetration overall.
As long as the crack is truly hairline, not moving, and not growing, this approach is generally acceptable as a temporary to medium-term solution. Keep an eye on it over time, and if you ever notice the crack widening, tiles becoming loose, or water escaping outside the shower area, that would be the point to reassess. For now, you are very likely safe to leave it alone or seal it lightly and plan a proper renovation when the budget allows.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
