Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Concrete Substrate Slab Debonding Tile Expert Answers failures Hollow Sounding Tiles Moisture Problems Movement Joints Tenting

Can moisture in a Concrete Floor cause the Thin-set Adhesive to Deteriorate and result in Hollow and Tented Tiles?

ANSWER - Thin-set mortars should not deteriorate from being exposed to moisture.  Most thin-set mortars are used in showers and in pools and fountains. Moisture that migrates into the concrete slab from the ground and…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Expert Answers Movement Joints Tenting

When do you need Movement/Expansion Joints?

ANSWER - Expansion joint is a type of movement joint.  All tile installations require movement joints of some type.  The tile industry installation standards require movement joints and all the manufacturers of tile and tile…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Debonding Tile Expert Answers failures Grout installation Movement Joints Tenting

What can I do about my 2 year old tile installation that is coming loose?

ANSWER - It sounds as though your tile installation has failed and is debonding.  It is likely due to compounding deficiencies in how it was installed.  The substrate may have not been properly prepared.  The…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Debonding Tile Expert Answers failures Hollow Sounding Tiles Tenting

What caused our tiles to Tent and become Hollow Sounding?

ANSWER -  When tiles tent/buckle up it is normally due to the combination of lack of resilient movement joints and due to the tile not being bonded as well as it should. Movement joints are…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Debonding Tile Expert Answers failures Movement Joints Tenting

What caused the Tile Floor to Tent up / Debond?

ANSWER - Tiles tent for several compounding reasons. Lack of Movement Joints (also known as expansion joints) - When tiles absorb moisture or gain temperature they expand.  The more porous the tile the more it…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Expert Answers Hollow Sounding Tiles Movement Joints Repairs Tenting

What should I do about my tile floor that made a crackle sound and become hollow sounding?

ANSWER - There is a good chance your tile floor has tented.  This is a condition when the tile is installed without resilient movement joints at the perimeters of the rooms, and then the tile…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Debonding Tile Expert Answers failures Flood installation Movement Joints Tenting

Will the Cold Temperatures cause Tiles to Tent, and Will the insurance provide coverage for a tented tile floor?

ANSWER - Normally it isn't the cold that leads to a tile tenting, it is the higher temperatures or moisture that causes expansion in tiles that can lead to tile tenting if the tile wasn't…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Expert Answers installation Moisture Problems Movement Joints Tenting

What is causing my Ceramic Tile to Buckle / Tent up?

ANSWER - When tile debonds and buckles up we do refer to that as tile tenting.  The cause of tile tenting is normally due to several compounding conditions.  First is that normally the tile installation…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Debonding Tile Expert Answers failures Movement Joints stone Tenting

Does lack of expansion joints cause tiles to debond or tent?

ANSWER - Expansion joints are a type of movement joint.  Movement joints are meant to mitigate expected expansion and contraction movements within the tile assembly cased by temperature variations, moisture variations or from dynamic structural movements.…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Expert Answers Hollow Sounding Tiles Leak Moisture Problems Movement Joints stone Tenting

What problems can occur if tile is subjected to a flood?

ANSWER - If the tile was installed correctly, it should not be damaged by being submerged in water.  Although quite often tiles are not installed correctly, and there can be resultant damages from a flood. Whether…

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