The floorelf posts photos of failed tile installations and the problems that caused them.
Uneven wall keeps cracking tile during installation.
The weight of a large format stone tile can cause it to sag or slip during installation on the wall.
Tile laying tricks for uneven surfaces floor leveling compound.
But it is possible that you or a previous owner has installed sub standard tiles.
The wedge will pull the tiles together and create a smooth straight installation evening out any bumps or jogs caused by the uneven wall.
If you put a 48 straight edge up against the most sunken areas there s a gap of almost a 1 2.
First we might crack tiles and the customer did not have any replacements.
We did not want to simply pull up and then reset the tile for two reasons.
Inferior tile was used.
Second the floor heating system could be damaged during the repair process.
As the chart shows larger tiles require larger trowel notches to provide a thicker bed.
The flatness of the wall or floor or the texture of the tile s back.
Installers also face a variety of challenges with large format wall tile.
Some one step mortars will isolate cracks up to 1 8 inch wide.
Because the tile is cracked and the tile is the only visible portion of the installation sandwich of mortar and substrate most homeowners assume that the tile is at fault.
Incorrect shower floor bases incorrect tile substrates and incorrect installation methods.
The problem is that the wall is uneven.
So the only reliable way to know that the bed is thick enough is to set the first few tiles then immediately pry them up.
Here are some common areas of concern.
To counter this apply an uncoupling membrane to the concrete before the tile is installed.
If the substrate the floor tiles are being installed on is uneven but structurally sound a.
But other factors matter too.
Repeat the process for the rest of the installation and.
Several tiles in the front of his shower were hollow nearly lifting off the floor but still attached.
Back buttering is a trick used for tiles of uneven thickness like ungauged slate or handmade tiles.
If they are too thin the tiles won t have enough room to expand and contract causing cracking.
There is also a spot near the window trim where the wall appears to be built up too much enough so that the tile could end up proud of the trim which i m pretty sure won t look so hot.
Usually this is not the case.
This membrane bonds to the concrete floor and then bonds to the tile.
Tiles laid over existing cracks usually crack due to uneven floor movement along the tile.
