cracked wall tiles in en-suite

[axel]

hello, I am looking for some advice please. We had our ensuite redone in November and fully retiled. Last week I noticed fine vertical hair line cracks in two points extending up 6 tiles in one place and extending up 9 tiles in another, about 1 m apart. This wall is a false partition wall made from plasterboard I think. There are small gaps in all 4 upper corners and one crack in a corner which is made up of two exterior walls. I asked the person who did the bathroom to come and have a look and he said he had never seen anything like it before and was worried about something major like subsidence. I contacted our insurance company who sent someone out. They ruled out subsidence (which is a relief) and said they thought the problem was caused by thermal expansion at the plasterboard joints and that the only way really to avoidthis was to have taped the plasterboards before skimming and to use a flexible adhesive. I fed this back to our builder who said he never heard of such a thing and asked me to get another opinion.
Is this something you have heard of? Is it common? should be my builder have heard of it? Who else can I ask for an opinion ( other than yourselves, which I am grateful for). I don't want to attribute blame or anything I just want to understand what e problem is so I can get it fixed, I have a baby and 4 year old who will end up using this bathroom so want to get it fixed properly.

 

[White Room]

Hi and welcome.....what tiles are they, what adhesive was used powdered or tubbed......

 

[Ajax123]

Some pictures would help enormously here. It sounds likely that there is an issue with movement but there could be more to it than that. One thing is sure though you are better tiling to un skimmed plasterboard than you are to skimmed so the insurance company are not correct on that point at least.

 

[axel]

they were the White-Statuario-Marble-Effect-Wall-Tile-200-x-500mm- from B and Q ceramic. I will have to ask about the adhesive used and get back to you as I don't know. Thanks. Anything else I should find out while I am at it?

 

[Sean SML Tiling]

Theres your answer there "your builder" he prpbably dont even know whaytflexible adhesive is. IMO a fresh partition is going to expand and cause some air line cracks. He should use a flexible adhesive and grout to stop this. Knock the tiles with your nuckle amd if the sound hollow then you will need to replace it all.

 

[Rookery]

Some pictures would help enormously here. It sounds likely that there is an issue with movement but there could be more to it than that. One thing is sure though you are better tiling to un skimmed plasterboard than you are to skimmed so the insurance company are not correct on that point at least.

You're overlooking the fact that the insurance companies have whole departments doing nothing but thinking up reasons not to pay out on a claim.

 

[White Room]

Are these cracks within the shower area....

 

[kilty55]

are you sure the walls are boards and not plywood?

 

[axel]

hello, here are some pictures.

 

[axel]

some more

 

[axel]

one more

 

[axel]

to try and answer some questions, the two long vertical crack are at the bath. The partition walls are not new but existing, I don't know what they are made of, but will check. He said they used pva the powdered adhesive BAL or Mape.

 

[White Room]

hello, here are some pictures. View attachment 51748 View attachment 51749

Are the window reveals which arn't tiled timber or plaster finish

 

[axel]

additional info that may or may relevant, two walls are external wall, the two walls with most cracks are internal walls. the bedroom on the other side is where I have been sleeping with our baby who was born beginning of January and therefore the room has been significantly warmer than it was back in November.

 

[Saltire69]

Looks like he's grouted corners. No room for expansion