Expert Answers in failures

ANSWER - A ceramic tile floor should be able to withstand cleaning with water or any type of an appropriate grout cleaner. The cleaner itself normally can't cause the tile to become debonded.   If…

ANSWER - The only way to determine whether or not the travertine tile cracked as a result of the hot water leak is to perform a forensic inspection by a qualified inspector such as our…

ANSWER - Whether it is stone tile or ceramic tile or porcelain tile or glass tile, if the tile becomes loose or unbonded, then we refer to that either as a tile that debonded or…

ANSWER - Apparently there were a number of compounding deficiencies in how the slate was sealed. Slate is very dense and considered impervious.  If it is a true slate, its absorption is between 0.1% and…

ANSWER - Orange or rust like staining in stone can be caused by minerals within the stone or sometimes because the stone is in close proximity of metal.  The aforementioned conditions, plus the stone being subjected to…

ANSWER - I assume there was a wood subfloor under the carpet.  The cementitious backer board should have been glued and screwed every 8" to the subfloor.  The 3x5 foot sheets should have been staggered…

ANSWER - I will assume that your tile floor is installed over a concrete slab on ground. We know that in New Orleans, as well as in other geographic areas, there is a very high…

ANSWER - When there is a problem it is generally not due to one deficiency, but rather due to multiple deficiencies. Buckling marble tile or tenting marble tile is typically due to the marble is expanding…

ANSWER -  First of all, tile applications installed on shower walls should not bow or crack.   What you describe sounds like it is a shrinkage problem in the floated wall mortar bed.  You didn't…

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.…