Uneven Wall Keeps Cracking Tile During Installation

Several tiles in the front of his shower were hollow nearly lifting off the floor but still attached.

Uneven wall keeps cracking tile during installation.

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. Tile laying tricks for uneven surfaces floor leveling compound. Inferior tile was used. The flatness of the wall or floor or the texture of the tile s back.

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. First we might crack tiles and the customer did not have any replacements. Usually this is not the case. The problem is that the wall is uneven.

The floorelf posts photos of failed tile installations and the problems that caused them. Back buttering is a trick used for tiles of uneven thickness like ungauged slate or handmade tiles. These joints are there to absorb pressure from shifting tiles. If they are too thin the tiles won t have enough room to expand and contract causing cracking.

These are the spaces left between the tiles during installation which are grouted afterward. As the chart shows larger tiles require larger trowel notches to provide a thicker bed. The weight of a large format stone tile can cause it to sag or slip during installation on the wall. If you put a 48 straight edge up against the most sunken areas there s a gap of almost a 1 2.

The wedge will pull the tiles together and create a smooth straight installation evening out any bumps or jogs caused by the uneven wall. But other factors matter too. This membrane bonds to the concrete floor and then bonds to the tile. Some one step mortars will isolate cracks up to 1 8 inch wide.

But it is possible that you or a previous owner has installed sub standard tiles. Installers also face a variety of challenges with large format wall tile. Repeat the process for the rest of the installation and. If the substrate the floor tiles are being installed on is uneven but structurally sound a.

To counter this apply an uncoupling membrane to the concrete before the tile is installed. We did not want to simply pull up and then reset the tile for two reasons. Second the floor heating system could be damaged during the repair process. Gravity is the primary challenge.

Incorrect shower floor bases incorrect tile substrates and incorrect installation methods.