07 May How to Prevent Floor Tiles from Cracking
Floor tiles are worthy of a sizable investment because they span the length and width of an entire house. As a result, most homeowners are comfortable spending a lot of money to get long-lasting floor tiles. This makes it even more heartbreaking when cracks and blemishes start to appear on the surface. So, in this article, we’ll discuss how to prevent your floor tiles from cracking and how to fix any small dents that may already be present.
Lay a thick subfloor before installation
Many times, floor cracks are caused by a bad foundation and subfloors that weren’t installed optimally. Just a little dirt or debris on the underlying surface can affect the integrity of your tiles, even before they are laid. To start with, ensure the subfloor is evened out. You can use plywood or a floor leveler.
After installing the plywood, give it some time to cure, then clean the floor properly. The next step involves placing an anti-fracture membrane on the subfloor you just laid. This layer absorbs any force strong enough to crack your tiles, and disperses it across a larger area. Subsequently, the force is dulled and your floor is left intact.
Carry out constant maintenance
After a thorough subfloor and tile installation, the next steps you can take to prevent the tiles from cracking are constant cleaning and maintenance. Please note that this goes beyond the normal sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping. You’ll need to clean the space between the tiles, remove any mold you see forming, and mend cracks before they worsen.
Additionally, once the grout (the material used to fill the gaps between the tiles) starts to crack, you need to remove them and refill the space. This is because water can seep into the subflooring, cause the tiles to loosen, and even lead to mold growth. So, you need to remove the cracked pieces immediately you notice them and refill the space with fresh grout.
Patch up small tile cracks with epoxy
Sometimes, even if you’re being very careful, an accident may happen and cause small cracks to appear in your tile. If it’s something minor, you don’t need to worry about a complete overhaul, a little epoxy will have your floor close to new, as well as ensure the crack doesn’t get bigger.
After filling the crack, give the compound 24 hours to dry and fuse properly with the tiles. Then you can use paint that’s the same color as your flooring to cover the dent and apply a thin layer of polyurethane to prevent chipping and act as a water-repellant.
Conclusion
If your home is in the Algarve and you’re considering installing a new flooring or carrying out maintenance checks on the one you currently use, you ‘re in luck. TJ Projects provides flooring installation, care, and repairs in your area, and we are known for our top-class service delivery.
For enquiries or to book an appointment, call +351 918 348 898 or send a quick message to info@tj-projects.com.