Cracked Floor Tile Causes

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Cracked floor tile causes.

If the tiles are on your patio a common cause for cracking is the freeze thaw cycle. Tiles provide a durable covering for floors walls and backsplashes. Although cracks sometimes indicate serious structural issues they re often a symptom of superficial damage. 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.

This is known as reflective cracking and often causes multiple tiles to crack. While most types of tile can handle a lot of abuse they are not indestructible and hairline cracks may occur. 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 far more instances the crack was caused by anomalies under or around the tile.

Natural circumstances such as moisture penetration pressure changes or aging can also cause cracks. Cracks in concrete substrate. If you notice a crack that extends across multiple tiles this is a sign that the concrete underneath has cracked. 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. Cracked floor tiles aren t cause for immediate panic. In areas with cold winters porous tiles like terracotta contract at freezing temperatures and then expand during mild spells eventually leading to cracking. Concrete substrate did not cure.

Knowing what can cause cracking can help to troubleshoot cracked tiles and lead to a better tile floor. 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. Sometimes hairline cracks in tile floors are one of the first tell tale indications that soil or moisture is affecting a foundation.