Want to see kitchen tiles on floor cracks and pops up?

[Son of Matrix]

Any updates on the expanding floors? I would love to hear what the cause is...

Apparently, I have asked two person, one owns a piling company which had a similar problem like mine in his house before and another is a tile trader. Both of them said the same thing although asked different times. They said that it's because of air accumulating under the tiles as a result of 'the stickiness' of the cement and the tiles wearing down. In other words, gaps have been formed under the tiles. That's why before our tiles broke, we can hear hollow sounds under the tiles. So when the weather is a bit hot, the air under the tiles then expand which theoretically explains why we had a cracking and popping party. (But it happened in the morning, as the morning sun was just rising, so not sure whether this reason holds?

OP where are you located?

Id hope to god thats not a sign of a coming sinkhole.

Located in Malaysia. Previously, it's an oil palm estate.

im pretty sure you hit the nail on the head.

OP, check online to see if sinkholes are common in your area. Also, id check to see what your insurance has to say about this.

Sinkholes are not common in our area although about 5km from our area, we have ex-tin mining areas...

 

[NC MacGuy]

They look to be ceramic? Without grout or space in-between?

 

[Son of Matrix]

They look to be ceramic? Without grout or space in-between?

Yeah ceramics...there's space in between. After the tiles cracked, there are a number of tiles which doesn't have cement at the back. Looks like they didn't 'stick' them properly last time.

 

[Gray-Wolf]

It isn't a problem with the tile. The issue is the floor underneath. Anything other than concrete can buckle if it gets too wet. From the looks of the pictures, thats what happened. Tile does not flex, grout does not flex, the adhesive, if put down normally, won't flex. That leave the underlay, which a lot of the time, is wood. Check that for buckling or shrinkage.

If the foundation, is concrete, the only way to make the tile pop up, as apposed to cracking is for the floor to sink in the middle. If it raised, there would only be cracks.

What is the material underneath? In one shot, it looks like 1x1 inch tiles under it.

I've done tile work for about 25 years.

 

[Son of Matrix]

It isn't a problem with the tile. The issue is the floor underneath. Anything other than concrete can buckle if it gets too wet. From the looks of the pictures, thats what happened. Tile does not flex, grout does not flex, the adhesive, if put down normally, won't flex. That leave the underlay, which a lot of the time, is wood. Check that for buckling or shrinkage.

I've done tile work for about 25 years.

Hey expert! 25 years' long time. I just have cements below the tile. No wood... Have you seen this type of scenario before? Quite scary right? I have seen some chipping of cements near the start of the cracks and pops.

 

[Gray-Wolf]

Remove the tile on the line of the buckling and look at the foundation. There should be a crack running with the popups. How old is the floor/house? Any flooding/ water damage issues in the last year or so?

If there is damage to the foundation, it will continue until repaired. If you have someone in your area that does concrete work, have them look at it. They can bore a hole at the crack and look underneath for settling or water damage. If it isn't repaired, any new tile work will buckle, and if vinyl put down instead, it can tear.

 

[Son of Matrix]

iTiles-Knight - More advice please.

Remove the tile on the line of the buckling and look at the foundation. There should be a crack running with the popups. How old is the floor/house? Any flooding/ water damage issues in the last year or so?

If there is damage to the foundation, it will continue until repaired. If you have someone in your area that does concrete work, have them look at it. They can bore a hole at the crack and look underneath for settling or water damage. If it isn't repaired, any new tile work will buckle, and if vinyl put down instead, it can tear.

Thanks! Can you look at some more pictures? I have taken some pictures of the cracks running with and under the pop ups. The floor appears to be uneven. It's quite near the toilet. The flooring is about 18 years old. You can see the toilet floor on the right side in the 2nd picture. It may be possible that water might seep into the foundation. Also, just about 6 1/2 feet diagonally away, it's a drain at the back of our house, water has mysteriously disappeared under the cracks of the drain.

1. So this might be water seeping into the foundation again?

You can also see the surviving tiles in the last two pictures. It appears that there is about 1 cm gap at the peak between the tiles and the cement/concrete.

2. Does this strengthen the foundation problem theory - cracks and uneven flooring?

3. When you say bore a hole, how big is this hole normally be to warrant checking of settling or water problem?

4. What's settling problem?

Thank so much. Will be anxiously waiting for your reply.

 

[Gray-Wolf]

Settling, is when either through time or water the dirt under something begins to compact or sink if it had organic material in it, leaving space. The concrete foundations, of most houses, has little to no wire/rebar in it for strength and will crack and move over time. If the water has been getting under the slab, it will create a gap under the concrete and the slab will crack.

The hole to bore, is about 5" in diameter, and can be filled in with concrete real easy. They hook a drill up to it with anchors and bore through the concrete and either use a mirror and light or a camera to look if there is sufficient area.

Depending on the company, repairs will cost a little or a lot. Most is to remove the old, then re-pour.

The cheaper alternative, which really doesn't address the problem, is to glue and anchor 1/2" plywood down, then lay new tile over it. As I said, it is cheaper, but doesn't really fix it, and if there is active water leaking underneath, it will do other damage as well. Active water, being from water lines rather than sewer or rain.

I would get a contractor out to look at it. Most will give free estimates to let you know the options.

 

[Son of Matrix]

Settling, is when either through time or water the dirt under something begins to compact or sink if it had organic material in it, leaving space. The concrete foundations, of most houses, has little to no wire/rebar in it for strength and will crack and move over time. If the water has been getting under the slab, it will create a gap under the concrete and the slab will crack.

The hole to bore, is about 5" in diameter, and can be filled in with concrete real easy. They hook a drill up to it with anchors and bore through the concrete and either use a mirror and light or a camera to look if there is sufficient area.

Depending on the company, repairs will cost a little or a lot. Most is to remove the old, then re-pour.

The cheaper alternative, which really doesn't address the problem, is to glue and anchor 1/2" plywood down, then lay new tile over it. As I said, it is cheaper, but doesn't really fix it, and if there is active water leaking underneath, it will do other damage as well. Active water, being from water lines rather than sewer or rain.

I would get a contractor out to look at it. Most will give free estimates to let you know the options.

Thank you and thank you all so much. I have learnt tonnes from an Apple website..haha

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Just make sure they do not Core into to the Post Tenision cables in the slab. Most houses these days have PT in them for the strength. If they hit one of those cables with the coring machine it will cause them to snap.

 

[Gray-Wolf]

His house is 18 years old, the odds of that are very slim.