WHY DOES TILE AND GROUT CRACK?
Answers to these questions
as well as their prevention below.
Having cracks in your tile and grout should happen as often as getting scratches on your car. Take good care of your tile and you will have little to no cracks. Be less than careful with your tile and you can be sure to have quite a few cracks.
The following are the main reasons for having cracks in your tile and grout:
The following are the main reasons for having cracks in your tile and grout:
Dropping and Striking Tile
Dropping heavy objects on your tile may crack your tile. Particularly thin, brittle tile like slate or ceramic. Striking your tile such as with a hammer will probably also crack it.
The solution is to being careful when carrying heavy objects and to avoid dropping them on your floor tile. And never use your tile as a backing for something to be struck. Use your hammer on your work bench, not your floor tile
The solution is to being careful when carrying heavy objects and to avoid dropping them on your floor tile. And never use your tile as a backing for something to be struck. Use your hammer on your work bench, not your floor tile
House Settling
New houses tend to settle into their foundations. They move this way and that, gently and slowly. That gentle movement will cause some of the tiles to stress and crack.
The solution is to ensure your contractor offers you a warranty to cover such cracks and breaks. Tile Plus always gives you a 1 year warranty for every installation.
The solution is to ensure your contractor offers you a warranty to cover such cracks and breaks. Tile Plus always gives you a 1 year warranty for every installation.
Movement
All homes, even after they have settled, will still move. A big bookshelf, placed on your tile floor and loaded up with books will put pressure on your floorboards and cause them to move. That kind of stress and movement can be enough to crack your tiles.
The solution is two-fold: 1) Make sure your contractor covers you with a warranty for such cracks and breaks. 2) Keep spare tile on hand to replace these broken ones.
The solution is two-fold: 1) Make sure your contractor covers you with a warranty for such cracks and breaks. 2) Keep spare tile on hand to replace these broken ones.
Improper Installation
Your contractor should be professional and competent enough to install your tile correctly using the correct material. This means the contractor will use the correct substrate, the correct adhesive material (thinset) and will correctly put these together to do a good installation.
If your substrate is cheap and weak, it will fail causing the tile installation to fail.
If your thinset was improperly spread underneath the tile, the tile can come loose or crack as it comes under pressure.
Improperly mixed cement like thinset or grout will cure at incorrectly and shrink.
The solution for improper installations and failed grout includes not only taking advantage of your contractor's warranty, but also by keeping some grout in your garage, you can easily replace the broken grout as needed.
If your substrate is cheap and weak, it will fail causing the tile installation to fail.
If your thinset was improperly spread underneath the tile, the tile can come loose or crack as it comes under pressure.
Improperly mixed cement like thinset or grout will cure at incorrectly and shrink.
The solution for improper installations and failed grout includes not only taking advantage of your contractor's warranty, but also by keeping some grout in your garage, you can easily replace the broken grout as needed.
Big Tile Repair?
Do you have a tile repair that you can't do? Some big project that you don't have the capacity to address?
Find the replacement tile you need, check out one of the tile stores we recommend and take advantage of the discounts they give us. Then contact Tile Plus. We can help you right away.
Tile Plus will take care of your larger tile repairs and of tile installations.
Find the replacement tile you need, check out one of the tile stores we recommend and take advantage of the discounts they give us. Then contact Tile Plus. We can help you right away.
Tile Plus will take care of your larger tile repairs and of tile installations.
PO Box 54333,
San Jose,
CA
95154
408-938-3494