Advice re cracking wall and floor tiles

[Mct_124]

I have 2 issues. 1. bathroom wall tiles grout cracking and hairline cracks across tiles 2. Kitchen floor tiles and wall tiles cracked. I have had a structural engineer in who stated no foundation issues. I live on busy main road causing periodic vibration through house. Can vibration cause these issues? To explain in both locations floor and wall tiles have hairline cracks which run in almost a continuous wave through tile and grout mainly horizontal but a few random vertical cracks on bathroom wall tiles.The bathroom wall cracks are random but significant areas of concern supporting wall and around tiled window cill. Kitchen wall tiles thus far are only cracked on window cill. KItchen floor tiles cracked continuous wave horizontally running across from one wall to other. The work is less than a year old in the bathroom and six months in kitchen. Same contractor did both. I have approached him to come and look at issues. Assuming that my substrate is moving significant enough to crack the tiles but not significant enough to be deemed structural how do I go about choosing and installing tiles that will withstand these issues. I have plenty of pictures to highlight issues if someone can advise me how to post them on this forum. Any advice would be greatly welcomed. IT brings tears to my eyes to think of the money spent and the end product. Thank you claire

 

[peteablard]

If you click the little picture frame on the tool bar it will allow you to insert some pics which would be helpful. What type of floor is under the tiles?

 

[AMtek]

I would say you will probably find that the wall tiles are dot and dabbed and they have overlaid the floor with 6mm ply. A sweeping statement without knowing anything about the substrate etc. but more often than not these are the cause of failures

 

[beanz]

If the tiles are cracking, you have movement in the substrate. Really we need more info on fixing methods/substrates, but just changing the tiles won't help i'm afraid.. Have all the cracks (bathroom & Kitchen) appeared around the same time?

 

[Mct_124]

Attached are various pictures of the work and issues as outlined in my original post. I will try to describe the work done but bear with me as a girl I'm no DIY expert.

1. Kitchen floor

Unf I dont have a picture of the subfloor being prepared. Attached is a picture of the original floor.




If memory serves all of the floor boards were screwed down and then a wire mesh and adhesive was laid on to which the tiles were put down.

These are the pictures of the cracks on the floor that have appeared. Hopefully you can see them. They travel across the tiles from one wall to the other. I assume the subfloor prep was incorrect?

 

[Mct_124]

2. Kitchen Window Cill


Firstly 2 pics of the window cill preparation



These are the cracks that are appearing again running through multiple tile across the window cill. Hopefully you can see them as it is difficult to capture the crack on cream glazed tiles.

 

[Mct_124]

3. Bathroom Tiles

Here is a picture of the bathroom preparation



I believe the walls were plaster boarded and this was plastered and the the tiles attached using adhesive.

Here are the cracks and grout cracks that are appearing.

 

[Mct_124]

Hopefully the pictures I have posted shed some light into the work undertaken. I'm looking for advice re how best to go about repairs. Please help.

Thanks

Claire

 

[Gazzer]

3. Bathroom Tiles

Here is a picture of the bathroom preparation

View attachment 49142

I believe the walls were plaster boarded and this was plastered and the the tiles attached using adhesive.

Here are the cracks and grout cracks that are appearing. View attachment 49143 View attachment 49144

Tiled direct on to bonding plaster ?

 

[Mct_124]

3. Bathroom tiles

Bathroom tile preparation included plasterboards and skim as seen in picture below


The cracks that appearing in the tile and grout

 

[Mct_124]

i dont know the answer I assume so. The first picture shows the walls prior to the ties going on.

 

[NZ_Tiler]

2. Kitchen Window Cill


Firstly 2 pics of the window cill preparation

View attachment 49139 View attachment 49140

These are the cracks that are appearing again running through multiple tile across the window cill. Hopefully you can see them as it is difficult to capture the crack on cream glazed tiles.

View attachment 49141

There should be atleast 3mm between window frame and the cut tile, this gap should then be siliconed, NOT fulled with grout. The grout against the frame looks brittle, maybe you can remove it with a stiff stanley knife and vacuum, then silicone after. It will reduce the stress of movement from the tiles.

Are the other internal corners of the tiled areas also grouted?

 

[Mct_124]

There should be atleast 3mm between window frame and the cut tile, this gap should then be siliconed, NOT fulled with grout. The grout against the frame looks brittle, maybe you can remove it with a stiff stanley knife and vacuum, then silicone after. It will reduce the stress of movement from the tiles.

Are the other internal corners of the tiled areas also grouted?

Thanks yes all internal corners are grouted I have plenty of tiles left. Should I remove all tiles and start again using silicone around edges

 

[kilty55]

hi mct,can you post some more pics please that highlight what you have said as the ones posted dont seem to really show more than 1 tile it may be easier to help showing the damage you have said has occured

kitchen floor i only see 1 cracked tile it doesnt seem to run across onto other tiles unless i cant see it close enough
bathroom wall the grouting area looks like it has had something else of a different colour/texture applied to it as well??

kitchen wall i only see 1 tile missing is the crack on this the joint between window and tile if so it should ber a silicone joint and why is a tile missing?

cheers

 

[Mct_124]

Attached is the best picture I can take. It shows hairline crack running through two consecutive tiles. This crack actually runs through five tiles in total in one continous line. It is impossible to photograph all of it.



Next is the second problematic area. Again same issue hairline crack. Can only photograph two but runs through three tiles next to back door.



Here is a picture of the problematic area though you cant see the cracks here but though useful to see general workmanship



Re the kitchen window cill question. Cracks are similar to those shown in floor. Running through consecutive tiles across the cill. The reason why a tile is missing was because in this area the tile was replaced completely as the tiles cracked vertically in 2 halves. At the request of an earlier post I was tying to demonstrate the substrate as it was thought that this may be where my issues lie. However, if I am not mistaken I am getting the impression that a 3mm gap should have been left and siliconed to allow for movement. I instead have the area completely grouted and therefore can not accommodate any slight movement hence tiles are cracking.

Re bathroom tiles. What you see is purely grout. nothing else has been used.

Hope this helps. All advice welcomed. I'm assuming the floor is a replacement job. But before proceeding I want to understand if it is in any way salvagable. I have 11 tiles to do repairs. If the floor has been completely botched I see little point doing this and so will be asking the tiler to rip up and redo. However, I want to get a clearer picture of how to proceed as the last thing I want is to rip it up redo and then the same thing happen.

Thanks again for your help

Claire

 

[NZ_Tiler]

Floor crack looks like a problem with the substrate, this crack most likely follows a joint where two hardiebacker boards meet. How far away from the wall is it? Does the floor flex when you walk over it? Or is it solid?

 

[Mct_124]

Floor crack looks like a problem with the substrate, this crack most likely follows a joint where two hardiebacker boards meet. How far away from the wall is it? Does the floor flex when you walk over it? Or is it solid?

Hi the cracks start at the wall and at door entrance. I don't feel flex. The floor underneath is floorboards. Tiler told me at time all he needed to do was screw the floorbosrds down and no need for backer board. I guess this was incorrect and I assume floorboards flexing resulting in tile cracks. I guess im going to have to rip it all up. I'm trying to think of an easy solution as really it will be a nightmare to take out kitchen and re tile. Am considering amtico vinyl tiles. Does anyone know if u can put this over the existing tiled floor that is cracking. To now re tile using backer board will mean raising doors taking out whole of kitchen. So am looking for an easy alternative that will look good and not be such a nightmare . Thank you advance for your help claire

 

[bugs183]

Thats classic poor surface prep.
Cement board etc should have been used, but more often than not it doesn't get done, guys just tile straight to the floor and these cracks occur.
You can't really rectify this without lifting the floor, the timberwork needs to be checked for strength and 'bounce', re boarding, which will add about 15mm to the floor, which in most cases won't effect the kitchen too much, just plain down the kick boards, plain the bottom of the doors and get a cabinet maker to make a hardwood threshold strip for the door.
It's a shame you will have to do this, but the problem should be sortable.