Cracked Floor Tile Causes

In areas with cold winters porous tiles like terracotta contract at freezing temperatures and then expand during mild spells eventually leading to cracking.

Cracked floor tile causes. 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. Although cracks sometimes indicate serious structural issues they re often a symptom of superficial damage. To discover the cause of your tile s crack you ll need to carefully inspect the crack s size and pattern. Concrete substrate did not cure.

Ceramic tile can develop hairline cracks for a variety of reasons. Tiles provide a durable covering for floors walls and backsplashes. Cracked tiles on floors and walls is a problem because it can be difficult to track down the source of the crack. 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.

Or if your ceramic tile was installed over newly laid concrete the tile may crack as the concrete settles. Natural circumstances such as moisture penetration pressure changes or aging can also cause cracks. In many cases the crack is not the result of an inferior tile. Sometimes hairline cracks in tile floors are one of the first tell tale indications that soil or moisture is affecting a foundation.

If you notice a crack that extends across multiple tiles this is a sign that the concrete underneath has cracked. If the tiles are on your patio a common cause for cracking is the freeze thaw cycle. Whatever the cause you can remedy the cracks yourself without having to hire a professional. When tile is bonded directly to concrete and that concrete happens to crack so can the tile layer above.

In far more instances the crack was caused by anomalies under or around the tile. Knowing what can cause cracking can help to troubleshoot cracked tiles and lead to a better tile floor. Ceramic tiles should not crack under normal usage and when they do it is almost always due to improper subfloor conditions or improper installation. Cracked floor tiles aren t cause for immediate panic.

Cracks in concrete substrate.