Expert Answers in

ANSWER – I don’t know why someone would say the marble could crack, if it isn’t already cracked.  I don’t know what evidence there could be to suggest the marble could crack if it isn’t…

ANSWER – There are smooth floor tiles as well as smooth wall tiles.  Often floor tiles are used on walls as well as on floors.

On shower floors they should be using a tile that…

ANSWER – Even though the tile floor was installed 15 years ago, if it was installed correctly it should not have loose grout; unless it was abused in some way.  I am assuming that these…

ANSWER:  According to the NSI-MIA Dimension Stone Design Manual VIII, the maximum allowable lippage (the amount of vertical difference between two adjacent tile edges) for a calibrated smooth finished natural stone is 1/32″.

Although the…

ANSWER – You have provided so much information that it is a little confusing.   So I will make some assumptions.

You said that your tile patio is part of an ocean front home. You said…

ANSWER – The white material on the back of the tile is called engobe.  It is a ceramic pasted that is applied to the back of the tile for the firing process so the tiles do…

ANSWER –  It sounds like a real mystery.   The only time you get a puddle of water on your bathroom floor near your toilet is when you shut off the water supply to the house…

ANSWER –  The Daltile Avondale West Tower product looks to be an unglazed/through-body porcelain tile.  It comes in polished and unpolished.  I am assuming you have the unpolished material.  Porcelain tile is very durable.  Unglazed…

ANSWER – Generally speaking, cement based mortars should be fully cured within 28 days assuming it isn’t raining or is in cold temperatures.

I would expect that an interior installation of a cementitious grout should…

ANSWER –  If the tile was installed correctly, it should not be harmed by a flood caused by a water heater failure.  There is no way the water could have migrated 10-15 feet below the…