Cracked Floor Tile Causes

Sometimes hairline cracks in tile floors are one of the first tell tale indications that soil or moisture is affecting a foundation.

Cracked floor tile causes.

While most types of tile can handle a lot of abuse they are not indestructible and hairline cracks may occur. If the tiles are on your patio a common cause for cracking is the freeze thaw cycle. Concrete substrate did not cure. To discover the cause of your tile s crack you ll need to carefully inspect the crack s size and pattern.

Ceramic tiles should not crack under normal usage and when they do it is almost always due to improper subfloor conditions or improper installation. When tile is bonded directly to concrete and that concrete happens to crack so can the tile layer above. Whatever the cause you can remedy the cracks yourself without having to hire a professional. In areas with cold winters porous tiles like terracotta contract at freezing temperatures and then expand during mild spells eventually leading to cracking.

Natural circumstances such as moisture penetration pressure changes or aging can also cause cracks. Cracks in concrete substrate. 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.

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. Or if your ceramic tile was installed over newly laid concrete the tile may crack as the concrete settles. Ceramic tile can develop hairline cracks for a variety of reasons.

If you notice a crack that extends across multiple tiles this is a sign that the concrete underneath has cracked. Cracked floor tiles aren t cause for immediate panic. This is known as reflective cracking and often causes multiple tiles to crack. Knowing what can cause cracking can help to troubleshoot cracked tiles and lead to a better tile floor.

Perhaps you dropped something heavy on the tile such as a cast iron skillet.