Cracked Grout

[J Sid]

Thankyou for your reply.
Yes have a look, can you feel the floor bouncing in this area, put a glass of water on floor and walk up and down. Does the water move in glass a little or a lot.

 

[Martyn Leeds]

So all the cracks are only around the edges yeah?
or in the grout lines within the tiling?

 

[natalie stanley]

Thankyou for your reply.
Yes have a look, can you feel the floor bouncing in this area, put a glass of water on floor and walk up and down. Does the water move in glass a little or a lot.

Ok will do this weekend - so a little movement is ok?

Am I right in thinking - the tiler should at least come back and Silicon where the cracked grout is?

 

[natalie stanley]

So all the cracks are only around the edges yeah?
or in the grout lines within the tiling?

One is on the edge and the other within the tiles - it just so happens. Directly where the back door is, there is a concrete ledge so the ply starts after this and this is where the crack is. He didn't ditra on top of the concrete. Another tiler seems to think it's because you have 2 different materials meeting underneath the tiles and that it could easily be cured with raking out the grout (where it's cracked) and relaxing with new grout added with Bal ad mix to make it a little more flexible. You can't really see the crack to be honest so visually it doesn't bother me too much, it's just more of what it indicates!

 

[J Sid]

A little movement should be ok.
When in the cellar look at were the floor joints terminated into the wall. There maybe be gaps under the joists at this point which will need filling to stop any movement.

 

[natalie stanley]

The way it's all situated I don't think I'll be able to see where the floor meets the wall..does the position of the cracks within the grout mean anything? Some of the cracks are within the grout line and others at the edge directly where it meets the tile! I just hope the floor isn't sinking

 

[J Sid]

From what you have said I'm sure that a silicon movement joint will sort the problem.
Watch for cracks appearing in the grout joints away from edge.

 

[SJPurdy]

If I understand the posts correctly there are two concerns:

Firstly the cracked grout between the tiles and stair riser. The joint between tiles and perimeter should be a flexible joint particularly when using something like Ditra that allows for lateral (sideways) movement in the tiling, and particularly when the perimeter is something that itself can move (eg wood). As already suggested removing the perimeter grout and replacing with Silicon rubber (or other (some can be painted on/up to better)) sealant should solve this. It should be possible to achieve a better looking joint than the existing grout. I would not recommend using decorator's caulk for this.

Secondly by the back door there is a concrete threshold, the ply wood floor butts up to this, the ply is covered with Ditra and then the Ditra and concrete have been bridged with tiling and a grout line is cracking (slightly). This is more incorrect as the tiling should not bridge the two substrates. As already stated a movement joint should have been used. As a grout line is cracking then maybe (you are lucky and) this aligns with the change in substrate and if this grout was also removed and replaced with a flexible sealant it would act as a movement joint.

Using flex grout or grout with flexible additive is not a substitute for using a flexible sealant. Such flex grouts have greater adhesion to the sides of joints and are a little more robust than standard grouts to cope with more stressful situations, but they are no where near as flexible, compressible, stretchable as an appropriate flexible sealant.

 

[natalie stanley]

If I understand the posts correctly there are two concerns:

Firstly the cracked grout between the tiles and stair riser. The joint between tiles and perimeter should be a flexible joint particularly when using something like Ditra that allows for lateral (sideways) movement in the tiling, and particularly when the perimeter is something that itself can move (eg wood). As already suggested removing the perimeter grout and replacing with Silicon rubber (or other (some can be painted on/up to better)) sealant should solve this. It should be possible to achieve a better looking joint than the existing grout. I would not recommend using decorator's caulk for this.

Secondly by the back door there is a concrete threshold, the ply wood floor butts up to this, the ply is covered with Ditra and then the Ditra and concrete have been bridged with tiling and a grout line is cracking (slightly). This is more incorrect as the tiling should not bridge the two substrates. As already stated a movement joint should have been used. As a grout line is cracking then maybe (you are lucky and) this aligns with the change in substrate and if this grout was also removed and replaced with a flexible sealant it would act as a movement joint.

Using flex grout or grout with flexible additive is not a substitute for using a flexible sealant. Such flex grouts have greater adhesion to the sides of joints and are a little more robust than standard grouts to cope with more stressful situations, but they are no where near as flexible, compressible, stretchable as an appropriate flexible sealant.

Thanks for your reply here - I'm a little confused by your recommendation for the cracked grout by the back door. Could you please explain again? If we're to take out the existing grout, what should I replace it with? Thanks!

 

[natalie stanley]

Thankyou for your reply.
Yes have a look, can you feel the floor bouncing in this area, put a glass of water on floor and walk up and down. Does the water move in glass a little or a lot.

Have done the water test and not much bounce or movement in the water. The cracks have got worse - do you think it sounds like the movement in the stairs causing the cracks?