In some cases the crack may instead occur in the grout joint.
Tile on concrete slab with cracks.
If the water soaks in you re good to go.
Tom meehan a tile installer and owner of cape cod tileworks in harwich massachusetts replies.
Cracks are nothing out of the ordinary.
Small cracks caused by shrinkage usually do not present a problem.
Applying tile in these situations is really quite simple.
In some cases i ve seen cracks that are almost 1 4 in.
If tile were set on.
But larger cracks especially those that are higher on one side than the other may telegraph through the tile and cause it to crack.
Using a scraper and a wire.
In addition to crack suppression the prodeso membrane is designed to hold heating cable in place making the installation of in.
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.
Cut the membrane so it s 1 1 2 times the width of your tiles.
With the cracks patched apply a latex modified crack resistant thin set.
For small narrow cracks that do not show signs of moisture use concrete filler which can be.
Cracks in a concrete slab are a problem that i run into frequently.
So random cracking might be a better approach for tile.
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.
Then prime the concrete see photo 2 with the recommended solution consult the membrane manufacturer s literature.
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.
If you watch them tile a commercial center or office building which are always concrete floors you never see them use crack prevention.
Let the primer dry and then apply the membrane photos 3 and 4.
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.
To find out if a concrete slab is clean pour a little water on it in spots.
Before you install any flooring material over a concrete slab it is important to inspect the slab for defects.
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.
Sweep the concrete floor with a broom to remove any visible debris.