Cracked Floor Tile Causes

Knowing what can cause cracking can help to troubleshoot cracked tiles and lead to a better tile floor.

Cracked floor tile causes.

Tiles provide a durable covering for floors walls and backsplashes. Sometimes hairline cracks in tile floors are one of the first tell tale indications that soil or moisture is affecting a foundation. In far more instances the crack was caused by anomalies under or around the tile. This is known as reflective cracking and often causes multiple tiles to crack.

If you notice a crack that extends across multiple tiles this is a sign that the concrete underneath has cracked. Concrete substrate did not cure. When tile is bonded directly to concrete and that concrete happens to crack so can the tile layer above. 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.

Cracked floor tiles aren t cause for immediate panic. Ceramic tile can develop hairline cracks for a variety of reasons. To discover the cause of your tile s crack you ll need to carefully inspect the crack s size and pattern. 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. Whatever the cause you can remedy the cracks yourself without having to hire a professional. Perhaps you dropped something heavy on the tile such as a cast iron skillet. In many cases the crack is not the result of an inferior tile.

Natural circumstances such as moisture penetration pressure changes or aging can also cause cracks. 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. Cracked tiles on floors and walls is a problem because it can be difficult to track down the source of the crack.

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