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Tiling

280m2 of floor tiles laid in july 2012 nearly all of them are lifting.

Anonymous user 03/03/2024 - 2.57 PM

Hi our new build home has the downstairs area tiled with large porcelain tiles. after moving in a few weeks we noticed the tiles were moving, we now have nearly all of them lifting/cracking. spoke to the builder who says tiler used wrong grout and tiler says builder has not let underfloor heating screen dry out! help! Thanks for everyones response. Yes all problems seem to be pointing to the tilers work. The floor was tiles were laid 4 weeks after the quick dry screed went down which was laid by a large reputable company, the heating was set at low and gradually increased, the tiles were applied with dot and dab adhesive, with no expansion strips which are apparently supposed to be placed every eight feet in large areas? Was wondering what should be our next move...bore hole test? we need to prove liability.

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4 Answers

Anonymous user

No wonder they are blaming each other expensive mistake. Sounds like the tiles have been fitted incorrectly as ultimate tiling suggests or the underfloor heating has been put on too early. There would need to be expansion joints fitted on a floor that size. Dot and dab adhesive. Yikes. Tilers fault

Answered10 January 2013

Anonymous user

Got nothing to do with the grout, grout does not cause these problems. Ask the tiler what is the manufacture of the adhesive he uses is? Ask him for there contact number, it's on the back of the bag usually. The adhesive should be guaranteed, if it is, they will send out a rep who will determine what and who is responsable for this. If the underfloor heating has not been switched off whilst the tile adhesive dry approx 6-8 weeks then I would agree with your tiler. The adhesive he used should of been flexible, if it wasn't then the tile would also pop up/ crack ect and expansion joints should be used on a floor that big, if they haven't then that again would cause the problem. I hope it gets resolved!!! Vinney @ CCTS

Answered9 January 2013

GN Building Services (Stafford) Ltd

Rating: 4.8 out of 5

Stafford

Certainly not the grout. Most likely explanation is that floor concrete or screed was not dry, but tiler may not have known this. If the builder subcontracted to the tiler, then the builder is liable. If the tiler was working on your instructions, the tiler should have checked floor is dry. This is always a difficult problem, get the rep for the tile adhesive to visit, he will take samples and will then determine liability, there is always a possibility the tile adhesive is faulty or wrongly mixed, but this is unlikely. Regards, Paul Albright

Answered9 January 2013

Ultimate Tiling

Rating: 5 out of 5

Sidcup

hi summer09_27, firstly the grout has nothing to do with your tiles lifting -cracking.there are only 3 reasons why your tiles are lifting-cracking.no1,they should have used a cement based FLEXIBLE floor adhesive.no2 the tiles have not been bedded into the adhesive,also on large format tiles you have to butter the back of the tiles with adhesive so a proper contact is made.no3 you say you have underfloor heating. when you turned your heating on, it should have been set on low, then increased over several days as per manufactuers guide lines. if this is not carried out then the tiles can lift and crack, whith regards to finishing your floor a FLEXIBLE floor grout should have been used. also you say your tiles are porclain,are they polished? if so did you or your tiler cheak to see if they require sealing,if they do and was not sealed they will end up getting very stained,which you will not be able to remove. hope this has helped you. gary.

Answered9 January 2013