Tile floor questions (subfloor, installation, kitchen, slab)

[greatblueheron]

So I moved a few months ago and had a 12 inch tile floor placed in the kitchen....about 5 months ago. NOW: around several of the tiles, the grout has cracked and when someone walks on that particular tile, it pops and even moves a bit.

I will call the installation co, but what could have happened???

[BobKovacs]

Sounds like a bad install. Is this on a concrete slab or over wood framing? If the latter, the subfloor may not be thick enough, allowing the floor to flex and loosening the bond between the tile and the substrate.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by greatblueheron

the grout has cracked and when someone walks on that particular tile, it pops and even moves a bit ... but what could have happened???

Originally Posted by TileGuys

To remove air voids, push the tile back and forth in the mortar perpendicular to the comb lines.
Back buttering may be necessary on large or irregular tile, to get required coverage.
source

underlayment and/or mortar bed
the grout cracked because the tile moved

hth

[greatblueheron]

I figured a bad install...everything that could go wrong did with my renovation of this darn place.


thanks guys