3 Possible Reasons Your Ceramic Tile Is Cracked

Cracked tile on your walls or floor is a frustrating problem because it’s so difficult to repair the damage or sometimes even determine what caused it. For the most part, issues are caused not by the tile itself but by the underlying material. If you’re having problems with cracked tile in your home, it’s important to understand why it happened before looking into ceramic tile replacement. While cracks can come about due to a variety of variables, these are some possible reasons it may have happened to you.

1. Sharp impact. If the crack is limited to only one tile, there’s a good possibility that something heavy hit the tile or was dropped on it. If this was the case, you may also notice some chips in the tile that indicate the point of impact. This is a common occurrence in kitchens, where heavy kitchen items are frequently dropped, as well as near doorways as people fumble with the things they’re holding as they come through the door.
2. Inadequately cured substrate. If your tile was laid over concrete, your cracks could be a result of concrete substrate that wasn’t allowed to cure long enough. New concrete contains a lot of water, which evaporates as it dries, causing the concrete to shrink. Many tile experts recommend letting new concrete cure for at least 28 days, while others believe that you can get away with 14 days. If you’re in a newer home and have already noticed cracked tiles, it may be the result of concrete that wasn’t allowed to fully cure.
3. Improperly spaced joists. Flooring joists are the “ribs” of your home that support everything above them, from people and furniture to the layers that make up your flooring. When these wooden girders are spaced too far apart, the plywood subfloor will begin to deflect, causing the floor tile to bend. As tile is rigid, you do not want the flooring beneath it to flex, or the result will be cracked tile. If your home’s joist spacing complies with the standards set by the International Residential Code, this type of cracking shouldn’t be a problem for you.

We Have Tile Repair Experts

No matter what caused your tile damage, it needs to be addressed, so why not utilize the handyman remodeling services available through Handyman Connection? Don’t hesitate to contact us at 1-800-88-HANDY if cracked tile is a problem for you. Our experienced craftsmen can help identify the underlying problems that caused the damage in the first place and quickly replace the cracked tiles, so you can avoid further problems in the future.