Cracked Floor Tile

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.

Voids in the mortar under the tile allow the tile to flex and crack. It is much easier to do this rather than creating a mess with a h. In many cases the crack is not the result of an inferior tile. While most types of tile can handle a lot of abuse they are not indestructible and hairline cracks may occur.

In many cases cracked tile floors are signs of foundation issues. There are a couple of ways to fix cracked tiles a cover up easy and the replacement of cracked tiles best method. It goes without saying the problems you have if the broken tiles are in your shower or bath. If you have ceramic glazed tile and cracks here is an easy fix.

Cracked tiles on floors and walls is a problem because it can be difficult to track down the source of the crack. Ceramic tile can develop hairline cracks for a variety of reasons. Ceramic floor tiles especially larger tiles need an even distribution of mortar underneath them. Perhaps you dropped something heavy on the tile such as a cast iron skillet.

As a general rule tiles larger than 12x12 inches should have mortar applied to the back of the tile as well as the floor to help ensure adequate coverage. Cracked floor tile can be an opening for moisture to get through to your sub floor especially if it s in a bathroom. Cracked floor tiles aren t cause for immediate panic. Or if your ceramic tile was installed over newly laid concrete the tile may crack as the concrete settles.

In far more instances the crack was caused by anomalies under or around the tile. To discover the cause of your tile s crack you ll need to carefully inspect the crack s size and pattern. Aside from being unsightly cracked floor tile creates an opening that can allow moisture to reach the subfloor. It s possible that soil movement or water has caused your foundation to shift move or even be pushed in an upward direction.

In damp areas such as the bathroom repairing cracked tile should be done sooner rather than later to reduce the risk of water damage. Find a nail polish or a combination of polishes and mix to match your tile.