Tile On Concrete Slab With Cracks

Cracks are nothing out of the ordinary.

Tile on concrete slab with cracks.

If you watch them tile a commercial center or office building which are always concrete floors you never see them use crack prevention. Cut the membrane so it s 1 1 2 times the width of your tiles. Concrete is similar enough to tile in terms of expansion and it doesn t flex so you don t need crack protection just use a decent polymer modified mortar. The drying would cause shrinkage or compaction of the dirt possibly enough to create a void under the slab followed by the slab cracking and settling over the area of the void.

Applying tile in these situations is really quite simple. To find out if a concrete slab is clean pour a little water on it in spots. In some cases the crack may instead occur in the grout joint. Tom meehan a tile installer and owner of cape cod tileworks in harwich massachusetts replies.

Small cracks caused by shrinkage usually do not present a problem. With the cracks patched apply a latex modified crack resistant thin set. Sweep the concrete floor with a broom to remove any visible debris. So random cracking might be a better approach for tile.

Cracks in a concrete slab are a problem that i run into frequently. For small narrow cracks that do not show signs of moisture use concrete filler which can be. Before you install any flooring material over a concrete slab it is important to inspect the slab for defects. Then prime the concrete see photo 2 with the recommended solution consult the membrane manufacturer s literature.

Instead of a crack transferring from the concrete to the tile the crack isolation membrane absorbs the crack energy and spreads it over a large area preventing telegraphing through the tile. Although it s unsightly it s very easy to fix and it s a much better alternative to a crack in the tile. How to lay tile over cracked concrete cleaning the concrete. Let the primer dry and then apply the membrane photos 3 and 4.

Using a scraper and a wire. If tile were set on. If you are placing tile on the slab it s important the control joint line up with a control joint in the tile easier said than done. In addition to crack suppression the prodeso membrane is designed to hold heating cable in place making the installation of in.

Concrete can support a lot of weight in compression but is weak in tension. But larger cracks especially those that are higher on one side than the other may telegraph through the tile and cause it to crack. In some cases i ve seen cracks that are almost 1 4 in.