5 Causes Of Cracked Tile Floors

Tile flooring is water-resistant, durable, and long-lasting, making it a popular flooring option for homes across the state of Florida. Tile is easy to clean and comes in a wide range of tile patterns, materials, and textures that make it a versatile choice for all kinds of residential and commercial properties.

Despite its stellar reputation as the sturdiest flooring option, tile floors are not invulnerable to damage. With time and heavy use, even the most well-built tile can crack. Luckily, tile flooring repairs are typically non-invasive and cost-effective.

Before contacting your local flooring company for a quote on their tile repair services, Straight Edge Tile & Flooring recommends investigating the cause of your cracked tile floors to ensure damage can’t spread or reoccur. To save you some time, our team of professional tile installers has compiled the five most common causes of cracked tile floors in north-central Florida. Continue reading to learn more!

Improper Installation

Most problems associated with the longevity and appearance of tile flooring are a direct result of improper installation. Tile installation is a labor-intensive, multi-step process with little room for error. Simple mistakes, such as using the incorrect type of grout or tile adhesive, improper leveling, uneven application, or misaligning a tile spacer, can create a tile floor that is weak and susceptible to cracking.

A professional tile setter will only use a high-quality, flexible mortar mix to adhere your tile to its foundation. This ensures that there is room for your tile to adjust to normal temperature changes, foundation settlement, and foot traffic without cracks forming in its surface.

Take care of your new tile flooring by avoiding risky do-it-yourself projects and only working with a reliable and well-established tile installation company in your area. For residents of Gainesville, Florida, and the surrounding areas, Straight Edge Tile & Flooring provides a variety of tile repair, installation, and maintenance services that you can rely on. To learn more about our tile installation services, contact us today!

Sudden, Heavy Impact

Most residential tiles can withstand extreme amounts of pressure without breaking. After all, they can handle the weight of larger household appliances and furniture pieces without issue. Simply placing a heavy object, appliance, or piece of furniture on top of your tile floor will not damage a properly installed floor unless there are underlying structural issues.

Suddenly dropping a heavy object, however, is a completely different story. Small objects with concentrated weights, such as dumbbells, exert large amounts of force on a concentrated area of your tile. Regardless of the condition or material of your tile, such an impact will severely damage your tile. While it may not crack immediately, this force will weaken the surface of your tile and make it more vulnerable to cracking in the future.

To protect your tile from sudden impact, avoid handling heavy equipment, such as dumbbells or weights, over your tile. Tile flooring, while cool, durable, and water-resistant, should not be installed in home gyms or garages where heavy lifting and large machinery will be present.

Shifting Foundations

Outside forces, such as natural disasters and invading roots, can cause the foundation of your house itself to shift, resulting in weak, cracked, and uneven tiles. In Florida, common culprits of shifting foundations include sinkholes and overzealous tree roots.

If widespread cracks appear in your tile suddenly without an apparent cause, homeowners should contact a professional flooring installation company immediately. If there is a sinkhole below the foundation of your home, cracked tiles will be accompanied by sagging doorways, split walls, and stuck windows and doors. Signs of sinkhole damage in a home should be addressed as soon as they are noticed to minimize the remediation, renovation, and costly repairs that typically follow.

If your cracked tile is primarily located near a tree outside your property, it is likely that the plant’s roots are disturbing the foundation of your building. This distorts your subfloor, placing excessive pressure on your tiles that leads to unsightly cracks and lesions.

Water Damage

Water damage is common in improperly sealed bathroom and entryway tile, where water exposure and leaks are frequent. When wet, tile begins to expand, putting pressure on the grout and surrounding tiles. If unaddressed, this will severely weaken the structural integrity of your tiles, causing them to warp and crack over time.

Water damage can be avoided by investing in high-quality tiles and installers, by maintaining your pipes and appliances, and by regularly cleaning and resealing your tile floor. To learn more about the importance of maintenance when it comes to your flooring, reach out to a member of our team today.

Low Quality Tiles

While they have similar appearances, floor tiles are made to be much more durable than other types of tile that are not typically subjected to heavy use. Wall tile, for example, does not need to be strong enough to support heavy furniture and foot traffic, and will crack quickly if installed on the floor.

The larger the individual tile, the more force it can withstand without cracking. When deciding on a tiling pattern and material for your home, keep in mind the intended purpose of each room and the potential downfalls of installing tiles made from cheaper materials.

Gainesville, FL, Tile Repair & Replacement

Luckily, cracked, warped, and distorted tiles are an easy fix for most reliable tile installation companies. Small cracks can be filled in with epoxy, while large or complex ones may require the entire affected tile to be removed and replaced. Regardless, most tile repairs are non-invasive, quick, and affordable.

Is your home suffering from unsightly, cracked tiles? Straight Edge Tile & Flooring is proud to provide reliable tile services to the Gainesville, Florida area, and would be more than happy to assist you with your next big project. To learn more about our professional flooring installation services, reach out today!