Hairline cracks on multiple tiles in a small kitchen floor with ufh

[PeterAlan]

Hi everyone.....im new to the forum and I'm looking for some help and advice please.

I tiled a small (14 sq meter) kitchen floor with UFH (water pipe type and approx 75mm below concrete surface) approx 1 year ago.
Perimeter is allowed to expand, quality flexible self levelling compound and adhesive used. At the time I decided to not use an uncoupling membrane considering the small area and perimeter.
Tiles were laid correctly in a solid bed.
However there are now multiple hairline cracks appearing throughout the floor and an unhappy customer......the hallway was tiled in the same manner with zero issue.
Am I at fault here for deciding against an uncoupling membrane or could this b an issue with the screed underneath.??

Hope ye can help thanks. Peter.

 

[Dave]

Hi Peter, what tile type is it.

 

[PeterAlan]

Hi Peter, what tile type is it.

Hi Dave....thanks for the response.

They are white glased ceramic...450x450....3mm joint and no expansion joint considering the area.
Going by the customer budget I dont thing the tiles are on the high end of quality either though this is more than likely irrelevant.

 

[Dave]

Hi Dave....thanks for the response.

They are white glased ceramic...450x450....3mm joint and no expansion joint considering the area.
Going by the customer budget I dont thing the tiles are on the high end of quality either though this is more than likely irrelevant.

Are they a white biscuit/body tile. ?

 

[PeterAlan]

Are they a white biscuit/body tile. ?

Sorry Dave...I'm not sure what you are asking me ?

 

[Dave]

Sorry Dave...I'm not sure what you are asking me ?

What colour is the tile , not the face of the tile but the body of it.

 

[PeterAlan]

What colour is the tile , not the face of the tile but the body of it.

Ok....its the typical dark amber/ brown ceramic colour.

 

[Dave]

Ok....its the typical dark amber/ brown ceramic colour.

Right ok. I’m only asking as a white bodied tile can crack slightly sometimes due rapid setting adhesive depth and as it dries it pulls on the tile body. Thus cracking.
Back to your tiles. Are the cracks just on single tiles ir spread across a few in a line.

 

[PeterAlan]

Right ok. I’m only asking as a white bodied tile can crack slightly sometimes due rapid setting adhesive depth and as it dries it pulls on the tile body. Thus cracking.
Back to your tiles. Are the cracks just on single tiles ir spread across a few in a line.

Spreading through 2 joining tiles at perimeter side and perpendicular to grout joint.
2 other singular tiles also and again at perimeter.

I didn't clarify either on the hallway but it is not adjoining the kitchen and the tiles are polished porcelain ( cream body and no issue )

I am suspicious too as to the operating of the UFH system. I am of the impression that when the weather is cold its cranked up abruptly ( suspect only not fact and proving this could be difficult).

 

[benchwarmer]

Should've properly covered yourself,once you seen the tiles, crackmat, backbuttered tiles, but obviously you're not a tiler and you're part of the problem we actually have while pricing jobs properly, you are the reason I'm awake,wasting my time, writing estimates at 1am, and obviously the customer goes with you, even though you turned up and didn't even know what you were looking at!, but you're cheaper! 😂
Sorry bud, you're by yourself on this one!