Ceramic and Porcelain Tile cracks Debonding Tile Expert Answers failures Grout installation

Is Spot-Bonding Tile an Acceptable Installation Method?

ANSWERS - it is not acceptable to spot bond tiles on floors.  For residential dry area applications, tiles are suppose to have at least 80% thin-set contact with full support at all edges and corners.…

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Debonding Tile failures stone

What caused this marble floor tile failure?

ANSWER - Keep in mind that when there is problem it is generally  not due to a single deficiency, but due to multiple compounding deficiencies. Looking at photos I note the following, but I can’t state…

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Debonding Tile failures Hollow Sounding Tiles Repairs

Is Epoxy Injecting Tiles a Reasonable Repair to a Loose and Hollow Tile Floor?

 1st ANSWER - Trying to fix the problem by injecting epoxy to fill voids in hollow sounding areas of the tile and to stabilize loose tiles is treating the symptom rather than fixing the problems.  I…

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Debonding Tile failures Movement Joints

Does the Lack of Movement Joints Cause Tile to Debond?

ANSWER - All tile installations require movement joints of one type or another at perimeters and within the field of tile.  Interior applications should have movement joints at all perimeters and transitions and every 20…

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Debonding Tile failures Moisture Problems

Hydrostatic Pressure causing Tile to Debond?

ANSWER - In theory hydrostatic pressure can cause a tile to debond if the hydrostatic pressure is greater than the tensile strength of the adhesive bonding the tile to the substrate.  If a tile is poorly…

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Debonding Tile failures stone Tenting

Marble Wall Buckling/Debonding Failure

ANSWER - If the marble tiles were installed correctly they should not be buckling/bulging from the walls even if it is installed in an interior pool and bath application. The humidity and moisture is likely contributing…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Debonding Tile failures Tenting

Ceramic tile in my kitchen is tenting

ANSWER - Generally speaking when a tile tents (lifting up) the failure is due to debonding that is caused by compounding reasons.  Part of it could be that there was a contaminate on the substrate to…

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cracks Debonding Tile failures Moisture Problems

Could salty water from flood cause tile to crack or debond?

ANSWER - Ceramic tile (which includes porcelain tile) if installed correctly should not debond or crack.  Ceramic tile properly installed over a normal concrete slab that is subjected to a salt water flood should not cause…

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Debonding Tile failures stone

Thinset is adhering to the back of Slate tiles, but not to the membrane

ANSWER - Generally when there is a problem there are compounding factors that lead to the problem.  Without intrusively investigating your situation then it would be difficult to determine what has caused the debonding of…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Debonding Tile failures Moisture Problems Tenting

Saltillo Tile had water on it for several days and started popping up.

ANSWER - Ceramic tile is generally fairly resistant to water unless there are some other underlying problems. Saltillo tiles are very absorbing tiles and some are made better than others in terms of their lasting…

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