Tiles making crunching noise. Can't pull them up help!

[Charlieb]

our floor tiles have started making a crunching sound. Pulling them up is not an option. Is there anything I can pump in between tiles where grout is (if I look it up) that would secure the tiles again without pulling them up? We have no spares and only had them laid 18 months ago. The tiler tells me that they put all flexible grouting down, but am concerned that the adhesive is breaking down and am petrified of turning underfloor heating on as think they may lift. The tiles are 60x60 porcelain white tiles and they are in the kitchen area. Tiles making noise are in front of cooker, so get a lot of use.
Any help would be appreciated.
thanks
charlieb

 

[Gazzer]

Welcome to tilersforums.com. 🙂

 

[White Room]

Hi and welcome....has your tiler offered to sort the problem out.

 

[Andy Allen]

were the tiles fitted to wood or concrete ?

 

[Ian]

As per Andy, what was the substrate? And, was there a de-coupling membrane used? As much info as you can provide, tile type/adhesive brand/grout brand and pictures would help us loads. Welcome along to TF.

 

[Charlieb]

Hi all, thanks for your help. Was a screed floor nothing put onto it before tiles laid. Dont have the name of the grout, but they did advise that they only use flexible grout. I have had the tiler back and he tells me that there is not problem and that it's just settlement of the new house. I first noticed the grout starting to crumble and come out. Then they felt springy. Now making crunching noise.

Was hoping there was some way I could pump something under tiles through the gaps in the groud that would stick them down.

Hope this helps, really appreciate your help.
charlieb

 

[bugs183]

Mmm, sounds like more than a grout problem to me i'm afraid.
Really sounds like the floor has to come up.
What size are the tiles made of porcelain, ceramic? What size are they, and do you have underfloor heating???

 

[Charlieb]

Grout brand in nicobond professional grout. Will try to post some photos, though not too clear.

 

[Charlieb]

The tiles are porcelain. 600 x600, there is underfloor heating there, but it's off and has been since march. Is there any other solution as have no extras to match these tiles?

 

[bugs183]

I don't know of anything that will flood under the tiles to bed them down, 600mm is alot of tile for anything to track underneath.
Grout will have very little to do with the failure of this floor. It'll be more to with how the floor was prep'd by the tile, what adhesive did he use, and how he laid the tiles.

 

[DHTiling]

If the grout is coming out, then you have a de-bonding issue... how soon after the screed was laid , did the tiles get laid.

 

[Andy Tiler]

Yep sounds quite bad! Get the tiler back again....!

 

[Charlieb]

It was about 8 months after tiles were laid the grout started coming out. The screed had been down for about 3 months before tiles were laid, could that be the reason?
Thanks for all your help everyone, really appreciate it. :smilewinkgrin:

 

[bugs183]

I think the only thing to do here is find the loosest tile you can and prize it up.
Take a photo of the screed and the tile.
I bet the screed was too dusty, in which case there is no adhesive stuck to the screed and dust stuck to the adhesive on the tile.
The adhesive was spread to thinly so you'll see ribs on either the tile or the screed, and lots of exposed tile back.
Dot and dabbed adhesive, or
No back buttering, to the back of the tiles to promote adhesion.
It's not uncommon for all of the above to be seen in a failed floor.

 

[AliGage]

Agree with bugs. But i don't understand why you can't lift them if they're coming away.

 

[Alan M]

i presume you mean you dont want to pull them up.
i would pull out the cooker ,fridge, washing machine ect. and pull up one of the tiles there. that way it wont be seen.
if the tiles are sounding loose then its only a matter of time before you have a total failure and are forced to replace.
the tiler should stand over it

 

[The D]

Do you know what type of screed it is ??

 

[Ajax123]

Do you know what type of screed it is ??

You got there before me...

 

[Charlieb]

Thanks all, your help is much appreciated. Will speak to tiler Monday again and see if loose tiles can be pulled up and relaid. Bugs, can you tell me what back buttering means?
Thanks all, will let you know more as I find out.
charlie br

 

[bugs183]

When you fix porcelain tile you always trowel adhesive to the back of the tile. This gives rhe adhesive a good key to stick to. Its also called back skimming. Deano and ajax raise a major point here, what was the screed made from? Was it a cement screed or was it self levelling Anhydrite???

 

[Charlieb]

Self levelling screed.

 

[White Room]

What type was the self leveling screed.....

 

[Rookery]

My money's on insufficient bed thickness and tiles not back-skimmed.