Crunching Floor Tiles

As a general rule tiles larger than 12x12 inches should have mortar applied to the back of the tile as well as the floor to help ensure adequate coverage.

Crunching floor tiles.

There is ceramic tile on the floor in the second floor bath. My house was built in 1956. In a case where cracking is minimal or has occurred in only a small number of tiles and or the floor is in a location where aesthetics don t matter to you the easiest most inexpensive solution is diy patching. If the floor has too much deflection that grout can crack among other things.

Grinding ceramic tile can be tricky since the hardness is similar to glass and it can crack. In this test floor tiles are run through a machine that exerts loads on an unsupported 1 inch square area. Reinforcing your floor will make for a more solid and level surface. Tile floors are easy to customize easy to clean and make for a classy addition to any home.

For a larger more visible area of cracked tile contact a tile contractor for expert help. Most tiles meet the 250 pound minimum. I have owned it since 2012. It takes combined collaboration between the builder the end user the involved manufacturers and the flooring professional to be able to mitigate the causes.

Voids in the mortar under the tile allow the tile to flex and crack. Ceramic floor tiles especially larger tiles need an even distribution of mortar underneath them. However there are steps you can take mitigate tile cracking. Many of the causes of squeaking popping and crunching sounds that come from the flooring system are avoidable.

There is a almost unnoticeable bulge where one of the tile comes up. Installing ceramic floor tile is fairly simple until you reach the edges of the room or fixtures such as cabinets pedestal sinks and toilets. So it is hard to say if a crunching sound is a squeaking sound or what. Most tiles comply with astm c648 breaking strength standards.

On closer inspection i can see that the tiles are moving very slightly against the grout which is causing the sound. It is the original tile with no signs of repair or cracks in the tile or grout. But the brittle nature of tiles and the constant foot traffic means that the tiles are likely to crack at some point. As long as the tile does not break under 250 pounds of pressure the tile is considered to be compliant with these standards.

In these cases you must grind down the ceramic floor tiles so that they fit around these objects.