Replies

1. 
   calvin | May 15, 2011 01:02pm | #1

   ebony

   I take it no tiles have cracked.

   My recommendation.  Measure the joist size and span.  Go to Johnbridge.com and find their span calculator to see how far off your floor system is.

   Another question, what was done prior to the tile going down?  Was the subfloor screwed to the joists?  What was used under that tile?-more plywood to bring it closer to the Tile Council standards of 1-1/4" of wood below the tile?  or did they put cement board down and call it done?

   Was there prior underlayment on top of the subfloor that was not removed?

1. 
   ebony3 | May 15, 2011 02:07pm | #2

   Thanks. No cement board or thinset.  Tile was installed in mastic over another layer of plywood that probaly brought it up to 1 1/4 inches. The existing floor was sheet vinyl.

   The tiles are 13" square and are not cracking. They just flex, the grout pops out. Any idea what to do before I rip it out and put in flexible product.

1. 
   calvin | May 15, 2011 02:15pm | #3

   ebony

   The vinyl was pulled?  along with the usually 1/4" underlay?

   The sub floor was screwed and then the addtional layer of ply was glued and screwed down to that?

   What size are the joists and what's the span?  Does the grout fall out all over and random, or in straight lines potentially at the subfloor/additional ply edges?  Grout cracking across the run of the joists or with the run?

   Can you do any work from underneath to add framing either doubling up the joists or adding a beam mid-span?

   The mastic as a setting bed instead of thinset seems odd.  Does the tile guy offer any kind of warrantee?  Why not?

2. 
   DanH | May 15, 2011 02:47pm | #4

   I think you got screwed (and probably the floor didn't).  You can maybe find some flexible grout that will last a little longer, but sooner or later the tile will crack.