My Ceramic Tile Floor Is Cracking

Occasionally a crack along the joint between grout and tile appears to be a crack in the tile s surface.

My ceramic tile floor is cracking.

Or if your ceramic tile was installed over newly laid concrete the tile may crack as the concrete settles. In far more instances the crack was caused by anomalies under or around the tile. However cracks wider than 1 8 inch will eventually transfer to the tile it notes. Cracked tiles on floors and walls is a problem because it can be difficult to track down the source of the crack.

Grout hugs the edges of floor tiles and sometimes seamlessly blends with the tiles exposed surface. For a larger more visible area of cracked tile contact a tile contractor for expert help. In many cases the crack is not the result of an inferior tile. In a case where cracking is minimal or has occurred in only a small number of tiles and or the floor is in a location where aesthetics don t matter to you the easiest most inexpensive solution is diy patching.

Ceramic tile can develop hairline cracks for a variety of reasons. Voids in the mortar under the tile allow the tile to flex and crack. If your tile s crack seems to run along the tile s outer edge closely inspect the crack to determine if it s really on the tile or just. If replacing a tile isn t in your budget or if the tile isn t badly damaged you can repair the tile.

This is known as reflective cracking and it can be easily prevented by adding a crack isolation membrane during installation. As a general rule tiles larger than 12x12 inches should have mortar applied to the back of the tile as well as the floor to help ensure adequate coverage. If 1 or more of your floor or counter tiles have cracked whether from regular wear and tear or from having a heavy object dropped on them you don t necessarily need to replace the cracked tile. Generally hairline cracks in the concrete will not present an issue to the tile floor above.