Cracked Floor Tile

Ceramic floor tiles especially larger tiles need an even distribution of mortar underneath them.

Cracked floor tile.

Voids in the mortar under the tile allow the tile to flex and crack. In damp areas such as the bathroom repairing cracked tile should be done sooner rather than later to reduce the risk of water damage. In far more instances the crack was caused by anomalies under or around the tile. Or if your ceramic tile was installed over newly laid concrete the tile may crack as the concrete settles.

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 can be an opening for moisture to get through to your sub floor especially if it s in a bathroom. Aside from being unsightly cracked floor tile creates an opening that can allow moisture to reach the subfloor. It goes without saying the problems you have if the broken tiles are in your shower or bath.

Perhaps you dropped something heavy on the tile such as a cast iron skillet. There are a couple of ways to fix cracked tiles a cover up easy and the replacement of cracked tiles best method. While most types of tile can handle a lot of abuse they are not indestructible and hairline cracks may occur. Find a nail polish or a combination of polishes and mix to match your tile.

In many cases cracked tile floors are signs of foundation issues. This short video shows how you can hide a tile floor crack using caulk and paint if needed. Ceramic tile can develop hairline cracks for a variety of reasons. In many cases the crack is not the result of an inferior tile.

It is much easier to do this rather than creating a mess with a h. Cracked floor tiles aren t cause for immediate panic. Although cracks sometimes indicate serious structural issues they re often a symptom of superficial damage. 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.

It s possible that soil movement or water has caused your foundation to shift move or even be pushed in an upward direction. Cracked tiles on floors and walls is a problem because it can be difficult to track down the source of the crack.