Why Does Bathroom Grout Crack?

As a homeowner, you will likely have to deal with cracked grout in your bathroom at one point or another. It can be frustrating to see your tiles falling apart. However, there are many logical causes for these types of problems. When this happens, you should call a qualified professional to assess and repair the damage. These issues tend to escalate so it is important to address them as soon as possible. In this article, we will discuss some of the possible causes of cracked bathroom grout.

Cement Hydration

As part of the curing process, cement hydration is vital to creating strong grout. More specifically, if you add water after cement hydration has already begun, the water will weaken the grout's structure and ultimately, cause it to crack.

Loose Subfloor

If your bathroom has a loose sub-floor or a structurally unsound floor, such as a bouncy floor, the grout is likely to crack. For instance, if you install tiles directly onto a typical wooden sub-floor, the grout is likely to crack because the sub-floor is unlikely to be strong enough to protect the tile and the grout. If you have such a sub-floor, you should hire a professional... to install tiles in your bathroom. In such a case, a professional would first install a concrete board on top of the wood sub-floor in order to make the floor structurally sound.

Foundation Settling

The foundation of a building/structure typically sinks down into the ground over time due to various factors including weather and vibrations caused by human activities such as construction. It is called "sinking" and occurs when the foundation is settling. This can cause the grout in your washroom to crack. However, this does not necessarily mean that the tiles held together by the grout would crack too. Grout is more flexible than tiles, meaning it is more susceptible to cracking under such conditions.

Insufficient Thinset

When installing tiles, it is important to use sufficient amounts of thinset (the adhesive applied over the mortar during the installation of tiles) to prevent the grout from cracking. This is because, as the thinset sets, it typically hardens, contracts, and pulls tiles tight to the mortar. For this reason, if insufficient amount of thinset is used, the thinset is likely to pull away from the tiles, leavings air spaces under the tiles. When this happens, the grout is likely to crack.

Movement Joints

A movement joint is basically anywhere a tile surface changes plane, such as an interior corner, or meets an abutting surface, for example, against a hardwood floor or wall. This is according to the Tile Council of North America (TCNA). Additionally, the TCNA says that the entire surface of a bathroom installation is a movement joint. For this reason, it should have room to accommodate movement. This means that, if your tiler applies grout to a movement joint, the grout is likely to crack. However, such areas should also be sealed to prevent moisture, induced damage, and improve aesthetics. Fortunately, your professional can use a more flexible material, such as 100-percent silicone, to seal such joints.

Weak Grout Structure

Improper mixing of the grout is likely to cause the grout to crack. More specifically, too much polymer additive or water in the grout mix is will likely lead to this problem due to excessive evaporation.

 

Bathroom Plumber Palmer PA

Some of the possible causes of cracked grout in the bathroom include:

• weak grout structure
• movement joints
• foundation settling
• insufficient thinset
• loose sub-floor

Be sure to address these issues... as soon as you notice them. The longer that you wait, the more of a headache that it will become. For top notch professional plumbing services throughout the Lehigh Valley, be sure to give Robinson Plumbing  a call. All of our certified plumbers have extensive training, knowledge, and years of experience in the plumbing industry. When hiring us to conduct a plumbing repair, maintenance, or a plumbing fixture installation, you will receive a plumber who exhibits the expertise and professionalism to address your plumbing needs above and beyond your expectations. If you have any plumbing-related questions, be sure to give is a call. For a list of our plumbing services, click here. We service Bath PA 18014, Bethlehem PA 18015, Durham PA 18039, Easton PA 18040, Hellertown PA 18055, Kintnersville PA 18930, Martins Creek PA 18063, Nazareth PA 18064, Palmer 18045, Riegelsville PA 18077, Springtown PA 18081, Stockertown PA 18083, Tatamy PA 18085, and surrounding areas. Call us today at (610) 351-9889 or contact us for any questions that you might have!

Why Does Bathroom Grout Crack? originated at Robinson Plumbing Blog