ceramic tile over cracked slab repair help (floor, foundation, install)
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I recently moved back into my 10 yr old AR house. I have several floor tiles throughout the house (kitchen & bathroom)that have come loose. I removed one of the 12x12 ceramic tiles used throughout the house from the bathroom floor and revealed a crack aprox .050"-1/16" wide (measured with hex wrench) and aprox 1/2" deep. It continues in both directions under tiles still in place. Also in the kitchen I have a "fairly" straight-line crack running diagonally through 4 connected tiles. I'm afraid my 'simple' do-it-yourself tile repair project has turned into an ugly problem. Not sure what my next step or fix should be...
That was the first sign that my house had foundation problems, cracks running diagonally across the ceramic tile.
Do you have doors that stick or cracks in the corners of doorframes and windowsills? Cracks visible outside in the part of the foundation you can see? Siding pulling apart or cracking in the corners where the nails are?
Before anyone can accurately repair (if possible, as opposed to replace) you first need to determine the reason for the crack to begin with. Therefore the engineer is where you need to start to determine settlement cracks vs. major foundational problems. You might get away with a very experienced tile man but it would be predicated upon what that experience was/is. Since this seems to be in more than one place, my assumption would be foundational in some manner, shape or form. Since you are using a hex wrench as a measuring tool, I would suggest you hire a professional. If you throw good money after and you will be very disappointed.
Last edited by nuts2uiam; 01-22-2015 at 01:03 PM..
I recently moved back into my 10 yr old AR house. I have several floor tiles throughout the house (kitchen & bathroom)that have come loose. I removed one of the 12x12 ceramic tiles used throughout the house from the bathroom floor and revealed a crack aprox .050"-1/16" wide (measured with hex wrench) and aprox 1/2" deep. It continues in both directions under tiles still in place. Also in the kitchen I have a "fairly" straight-line crack running diagonally through 4 connected tiles. I'm afraid my 'simple' do-it-yourself tile repair project has turned into an ugly problem. Not sure what my next step or fix should be...
For an old house, this would not necessarily be an indication of foundation problems but you say your house is only 10 years old and it is abnormal. Very abnormal.
I recently moved back into my 10 yr old AR house. I have several floor tiles throughout the house (kitchen & bathroom)that have come loose. I removed one of the 12x12 ceramic tiles used throughout the house from the bathroom floor and revealed a crack aprox .050"-1/16" wide (measured with hex wrench) and aprox 1/2" deep. It continues in both directions under tiles still in place. Also in the kitchen I have a "fairly" straight-line crack running diagonally through 4 connected tiles. I'm afraid my 'simple' do-it-yourself tile repair project has turned into an ugly problem. Not sure what my next step or fix should be...
I have done one other project at friend's house where linoleum tiles were removed and then the plywood/osb that they were sitting upon was used as a wooden base for the ceramic tiles. everything fine and dandy in two years and this area was the most used in the house i.e. front porch that also connected the living room to the upstairs bedrooms.
If it's only 1/16 " wide and a 1/2 inch deep and 10 years old, I'm thinking that it's shrinkage from when the concrete was poured. I would fill the cracks with concrete patch and then put new tile over it.
If you have problems after doing that, then you may have expansive soil or a bad foundation and then you will have to call the experts out.
I personally wouldn't be scared of a 1/16 of and inch crack as a house settles slowly as it ages so you're going to get cracks everywhere.
That might work but if the floor settles more the cracks could move more and re-crack the tiles. Best to remove all the thin set around the cracks and glue down some crack suppression paper over the cracks then reinstall the tile. Great and inexpensive insurance incase the floor settles some more.
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