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Tiling

New tiles making popping/cracking sound

Anonymous user 16/03/2024 - 2.51 PM

I’ve recently had a kitchen extension built and my new tiles are stating to make a crunchy/cracking sound occasionally when you walk across them. The floor is made up of a suspended block and beam floor with 100mm celotex insulation, 90mm poured concrete, 18mm ply, polystyrene mat underfloor heating, self level suitable for heated flooring, Dura Original decoupling matting and finally 1200 x 600mm porcelain tiles. It’s only making the noise on certain tiles and it only seems to be when the temperature drops ie, morning and evening. The tiler has been out and says the tiles are properly bonded to the matting but unfortunately it was warm when he came so was unable to hear the noise. Now the underfloor heating has been put on more tiles are making a noise. Any help would be massively appreciated

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5 Answers

Collier Homes Ltd

Rating: 5 out of 5

Hailsham

How soon after the tiles were laid, before you turned the underfloor heating on? This may be playing a big art to the noise. You should wait at least 30 days after installing before turning on the under floor heating, and slowly turn the heat up over a week.

Answered12 October 2023

Pickatop Tiling

Rating: 5 out of 5

Eastbourne

It could be a number of things first one it could be the wrong self level up just because it says it's for heated floors sometimes they won't stick to certain substrate .second the wrong tile adhesive could have been used large format tiles require a thick bed adhesive. .Third the tiles have been walked on when they were drying this is which has caused a weak spots on the tiles .fourth concrete wasn't dry which courses the moisture to be trapped underneath the durabase which will start to UN stick itself the only way you can know is by taking a tile up that will give you an answer of what has gone on

Answered12 October 2023

Roman's bathrooms

Rating: 4.6 out of 5

Tooting, London

I would say the tiles are not properly bonded to the subfloor. There might be empty space with no tile adhesive in between tile and subfloor.

Answered12 October 2023

Anonymous user

The problem with new flooring is when the underfloor heating cools down it can create little air pockets which can give the cracking sound. This is not the only reason it can also be caused if there is a void in-between the ply and matting.if your tiles have bonded properly there should not be to much of an issue and this should dissappear with time.

Answered12 October 2023

Big&small landscapes Ltd

Rating: 5 out of 5

Warlingham

The tiles are not properly bonded to the bed underneath meaning there is air pockets which is what’s giving you the cracking sound

Answered3 November 2023