Tiles Cracking On Concrete Floor

Rather than using cement boards cbus the favored method is to use an uncoupling membrane.

Tiles cracking on concrete floor.

Cracks mean movement and a tile floor isn t meant to. For small narrow cracks that do not show signs of moisture use concrete filler which can be purchased in a tube in vinyl epoxy or latex to fill the crack. Then prime the concrete see photo 2 with the recommended solution consult the membrane manufacturer s literature. Skip this step and we guarantee your new tile will crack right over the cracks in the concrete.

Cut the membrane so it s 1 1 2 times the width of your tiles. Tile s concrete substrate has cracked over time it is not unusual for concrete basement floors driveways or patios to have a long crack or two running through them especially if the concrete is several years old. Tile installed directly on concrete floors will mirror any cracks in the floor. Once a tile is cemented in place with mortar if the floor cracks that crack will radiate up through the tile.

This will prevent formation of cracks in the concrete which lead to reflective cracking of the tile. Cracks in concrete are a sign of a structural problem. In some cases i ve seen cracks that are almost 1 4 in. Wearing rubber gloves to protect.

If you attach the tile to concrete you need to take special precautions by uncoupling the tile from the concrete. Tom meehan a tile installer and owner of cape cod tileworks in harwich massachusetts replies. You can prevent cracks in ceramic tile that is laid over concrete in any number of ways. However cracks wider than 1 8 inch will eventually transfer to the tile it notes.

A tile floor is only as strong and as stable as the subfloor on which it is installed. Generally hairline cracks in the concrete will not present an issue to the tile floor above. Even though concrete seems like the perfect substrate for tile it carries its own unique set off problems. Tiles laid over existing cracks usually crack due to uneven floor movement along the tile.

More than almost any other type of floor covering tile needs a rock solid base. Applying tile in these situations is really quite simple. Let the primer dry and then apply the membrane photos 3 and 4. For a concrete subfloor the most effective thing to do is add steel reinforcing bars when the concrete slab is poured.

Take these precautions to prevent tile cracking in the future. The first thing to do is add steel and fibers to the concrete slab. Cracks in a concrete slab are a problem that i run into frequently.