Cracked Floor Tile Causes

Concrete substrate did not cure.

Cracked floor tile causes.

This is known as reflective cracking and often causes multiple tiles to crack. Natural circumstances such as moisture penetration pressure changes or aging can also cause cracks. Cracked floor tiles aren t cause for immediate panic. In many cases cracked tile floors are signs of foundation issues it s possible that soil movement or water has caused your foundation to shift move or even be pushed in an upward direction.

If the tiles are on your patio a common cause for cracking is the freeze thaw cycle. Ceramic tiles should not crack under normal usage and when they do it is almost always due to improper subfloor conditions or improper installation. In areas with cold winters porous tiles like terracotta contract at freezing temperatures and then expand during mild spells eventually leading to cracking. In far more instances the crack was caused by anomalies under or around the tile.

Whatever the cause you can remedy the cracks yourself without having to hire a professional. Cracked tiles on floors and walls is a problem because it can be difficult to track down the source of the crack. When tile is bonded directly to concrete and that concrete happens to crack so can the tile layer above. While most types of tile can handle a lot of abuse they are not indestructible and hairline cracks may occur.

Tiles provide a durable covering for floors walls and backsplashes. To discover the cause of your tile s crack you ll need to carefully inspect the crack s size and pattern. Sometimes hairline cracks in tile floors are one of the first tell tale indications that soil or moisture is affecting a foundation. Or if your ceramic tile was installed over newly laid concrete the tile may crack as the concrete settles.

To prevent cracks from forming in the first place we recommend you ask your contractor to install a crack isolation membrane during tile flooring installation. Although cracks sometimes indicate serious structural issues they re often a symptom of superficial damage. Ceramic tile can develop hairline cracks for a variety of reasons. In many cases the crack is not the result of an inferior tile.

Cracks in concrete substrate.