When a Bargain Tiling Job Turns Into a Repair Bill
A neighbor of ours in Cranbourne contacted us in a panic last year. She had paid a handyman to retile her bathroom floor on a shoestring budget, and after 4 months of watching it, three of the tiles had cracked, and the grout was beginning to discolor; water was accumulating around the shower base where it refused to go. What was to be a weekend job became a repair job for her, unsurpassed to the professional tiler whom she might have hired from the beginning, no less!
The woman's story is not uncommon: Calls similar to these are coming to us at Metro Kitchen and Tiles each month. The majority of tiling problems are not caused by using the wrong color grout. They occur as a result of minor but avoidable mistakes made during preparation and/or installation that only become apparent days, weeks, or months after the construction. Knowing about these mishaps could save thousands of dollars in kitchen, bathroom, or outdoor tiling repair work in the future.
Why Faulty Tiles Are More Expensive Than You Realize
Tiles are easy to install, but are technically difficult to install below. A minor mistake or error in surface preparation or laying distance could result in broken tiles, water-related issues, or a floor that is not level to walk on. An activity that is only semi-permanent means that when it needs fixing, typically you have to take out work that has already been done, which incorporates extra labor, materials, and time that had been supposed to be a simple enhancement.
That's why there are only a few common causes for tiling errors. Here we have identified the types we will encounter most frequently in Melbourne homes.
Most Popular Error for Tiling: Topside to Floor Topside
Failing to follow proper surface preparation. Failure to apply a proper surface treatment.
The tiled surface has to be as good as the tiles themselves. Unlevel, unclean, and structurally unsound subfloors lead to cracking, lifting, and shifting over time. A few trades or DIY tasks don't bother doing it; it has a way of causing problems at a later stage.
3. Poorly Installed Adhesive and Grout
There are numerous types of tile and surfaces that are incompatible with certain adhesives. Different bonding agents are required for various types of tiles, such as porcelain, natural stone, and large format tiles. The use of a generic adhesive, due to its ease of availability and affordability, most of the time means that the tiles do not stick flat or settle in one year's time. Not sure which format suits your room? Compare subway tiles and large format tiles first.
In Wet Areas, Poor Waterproofing Is Problem 3
Surrounds of baths, laundromats, and pools must be waterproofed prior to tile installation. This is one of the most costly errors in homeownership; water damage frequently goes under floors and behind walls without someone being aware of it.
4. Inconsistent Tile Spacing
The first visual indicator of a hurried job is the grout line. Nonsensical spacing, in addition to appearing untidy, can also have a poor effect on the longevity and strength of the grout job.
Failing to Plan Tile Layout. 6. Relying on the Wrong Framework to Plan Tile Layout
Often, when people jump straight into laying tiles, they don't plan out the tile pattern and must cut the tiles around walls, corners, or fixtures. Planning ahead will make all the difference in the end.
7. Failure to Direct the Planter's Resources Towards the Space
Tiles are often not the same strength as the floor, such as a high-traffic kitchen floor, or not as durable as the area, such as slippery tiles in a bathroom, or inappropriate for the environment, such as outdoors where temperature changes are a real issue. The appropriate tile will vary by where it's being used, not by appearance.
In case you have the decision to do another project, here's a quick rundown of what you should be looking for:
- Not leveling the subfloor or preparing the subfloor before tiling is started.
- Using incorrect strips of adhesive/grout to match the type of tile
- Inadequate or localized waterproofing in wet locations.
- Incongruent spacing/grout lines
- No construction plan prior to the beginning of construction
- Decorative tiles not for functional reasons. Tiles selected for appearance only, not for function.
Simple Ways of Avoiding These Blunders in Your Own House
Fortunately, each of these problems is also preventable if done properly. The key is in how the house is prepared, the material used, and an experienced tiler who can understand building conditions in Melbourne, namely the seasonal changes in moisture and clay soils. In fact, other than the other tips mentioned, most interstate tiling guides overlook the importance of local climate conditions on the life expectancy of the expansion and contraction of tiles and their adhesion to those surfaces and floors over time, which can be just as critical in Melbourne tiling projects.
When deciding to do it yourself vs. hiring a professional, it's best to ask the following questions: Do you have experience in working with waterproofing membranes? Do you know how to check if a subfloor is level before you start? If it doesn't work out, do you know what that will cost you? The solutions that most people can come up with are more practical for most people, making hiring a qualified team much easier, particularly when it comes to bathroom and kitchen remodels in wet spaces.
This Is What We Did for Our Cranbourne Client
Referring back to that Cranbourne homeowner, our knowledge and experience in waterproofing, as well as relaying over damaged tiles and applying the correct type and spacing mix beneath a particular tile, meant we started by assessing the damage, then stripped out the damaged tile and fixed the waterproofing underneath, before reinstalling the newly removed tile with the correct mix of spacers and adhesive for the particular type of tile in question. This is a prime example of the reason for the existence of Tile Repair Melbourne services. Not all tiling issues are complicated enough to require replacement, but they do need someone who can pinpoint the true cause of the problem instead of acting on a guess, as sometimes an issue can only be patched up.
This scenario is far from uncommon, and it is one of our most sought-after services amongst our Melbourne Residential tiling clients. People who had opted for the cheaper solution initially and encountered issues later only after engaging our help. We prefer to help you with your project the first time.