Tiles Cracking On Concrete Floor

If you attach the tile to concrete you need to take special precautions by uncoupling the tile from the concrete.

Tiles cracking on concrete floor.

The first thing to do is add steel and fibers to the concrete slab. Cracks in concrete are a sign of a structural problem. Cracks in a concrete slab are a problem that i run into frequently. However cracks wider than 1 8 inch will eventually transfer to the tile it notes.

This will prevent formation of cracks in the concrete which lead to reflective cracking of the tile. Tile installed directly on concrete floors will mirror any cracks in the floor. You can prevent cracks in ceramic tile that is laid over concrete in any number of ways. Cracks mean movement and a tile floor isn t meant to.

Then prime the concrete see photo 2 with the recommended solution consult the membrane manufacturer s literature. Finally tile floors installed over a concrete subfloor are the most susceptible to cracking because the concrete itself is prone to cracking the geeksonhome article states. Generally hairline cracks in the concrete will not present an issue to the tile floor above. Cut the membrane so it s 1 1 2 times the width of your tiles.

Applying tile in these situations is really quite simple. While these materials will not insure a crack free slab they will hold the concrete together such that small harmless hairline cracks occur instead of cracks in excess of 1 8 inch or more. Tiles laid over existing cracks usually crack due to uneven floor movement along the tile. Skip this step and we guarantee your new tile will crack right over the cracks in the concrete.

In some cases i ve seen cracks that are almost 1 4 in. For small narrow cracks that do not show signs of moisture use concrete filler which can be purchased in a tube in vinyl epoxy or latex to fill the crack. Tile s concrete substrate has cracked over time it is not unusual for concrete basement floors driveways or patios to have a long crack or two running through them especially if the concrete is several years old. More than almost any other type of floor covering tile needs a rock solid base.

Wearing rubber gloves to protect. Take these precautions to prevent tile cracking in the future. Cracks are nothing out of the ordinary. Let the primer dry and then apply the membrane photos 3 and 4.

Rather than using cement boards cbus the favored method is to use an uncoupling membrane. Tom meehan a tile installer and owner of cape cod tileworks in harwich massachusetts replies. A tile floor is only as strong and as stable as the subfloor on which it is installed.