Tile comes in various colors, shapes, sizes, materials, and application methods, making it a versatile and durable flooring and wall solution for your home. However, what causes tile flooring to crack, and how can you prevent it from happening?
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Main Reasons That Tile Will Crack
Bad Mortar or Lack of Mortar
Too little mortar or adhesive underneath the tile can cause the tile to crack, pop loose, shift or even fall off the walls over time or with sudden drops from objects. In addition, sticky tiles can come undone on the corners and start to roll if there isn’t enough adhesive solution put down.
A bad batch or miscalculated batch of mortar and adhesive can cause tiles to pop free and even crack under heavy weight from furniture or appliances. Uneven mortar can cause tiles to snap and crack when pressure or weight is applied to the area that has less mortar underneath. Overall, the mortar used plays a significant role in the entire job.
Improper Subfloor
The wrong type of subfloor can cause tile flooring to crack when too much weight is put on it, absorbs moisture and swells, or if there’s any flexing in the subfloor like with plywood.
Excessive Weight and Impact
Extremely heavy furniture and appliances can cause tile flooring to crack over time. Hard impacts from heavy objects can also cause tile to crack and break, so be aware when moving heavy furniture or objects such as small appliances.
Cracking Concrete Base
If the base flooring is concrete and begins to crack, those cracks can be reflected in the tiles above. Putting in a concrete installation membrane will keep the tile from cracking even if the concrete underneath does.
Poor Installation
Improper installation will cause tiles to crack, and if the cracking begins to spread throughout the floor, the tile will need to be removed and reinstalled properly. Tiling over improperly spaced joints can also cause tile flooring above to crack and shift.
Improper Tile and Grout Cleaning
Most homeowners don’t realize that improper DIY tile and grout cleaning can cause damage to their tiles. For example, using too much water when cleaning can cause the adhesive to weaken, allowing moisture to collect under the tiles and leading to cracks eventually. Scrubbing excessively is another culprit for damaging grout, and when the grout is damaged, you’d face potential tile cracking down the road.
How to Prevent Cracking in Tiles
Hiring a professional company to install your tile is the best route, as they’ll ensure that everything is done to code to give you beautiful floors or tiled walls. They’ll also ensure that your subfloor is well prepped before installing your new tile floors, and bring to your attention any areas that will not be suitable for tile floors. Tiling is more than just laying your chosen tiles in place. Ultimately, their knowledge, training, and experience will enable them to do a professional job with excellent results.
The same goes with tile and grout cleaning. Improper cleaning methods can do more damage than good. To prevent tile cracking caused by improper cleaning, hire a professional tile and grout cleaning company like us. We know just the right equipment, chemicals and techniques to use for the best results without leaving any damage.
Conclusion
Ensuring your tile flooring is properly supported, installed, and maintained is crucial if you want to prevent cracks from forming and having to do costly repairs in the future.
Leave your tile and grout cleaning in our professional hands and don’t cause yourself more problems with any damage that could cause your tile to crack.