Grouting Cracking in Bathroom

W

wonko

Registered User
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Apologies if I am going over old ground but my search of the site didn't really answer my question.

Bought a second hand house (3 years old) and moved in about 4 months ago.

The bathrooms (main and ensuite) upstairs were very tastefully tiled.

Once I had moved in i began to notice a grinding, cracking noise as i walked on the floor tiles. Shortly afterwards the grout began cracking and now it is lifting in big chips from between the tiles.

Question is what do I do?

Can it be repaired?

Can it be regrouted?

Will it need to be re-tiled?

Whats to stop the very same thing happening again?

How quick do we need to move before oing serious damp damage to the floors.

Money is tight after moving in and we really had not budgeted for a big job, what are repairs likely to cost?

Thanks in advance for your help.
 
Rake out the grout with a grout remover - available from most diy stores.
Regrout with a flexible grout - either a ready mixed one or preferably a powdered grout mixed with a suitable admixture.


S.B.
 
Sounds like there might be a bit too much "give" in your floors for comfort though... The tiles should have been laid on marine ply.
 
i would imagine a 3 year old house would have marine ply upstairs - i think
tiles should have been laid on a flexible / water resistant adhesive to take a bit of flexing etc. Is it possible that "one low joice" is allowing too much movment ?are bathroom and ensuite back to back are the floors in adjoining rooms springy !
S.B.s idea sounds like first attack - not a nice job though !
 
If there is too much movement, even flexible adhesive and grout will only do so much. You could try the flexible grout route and see how long that lasts, but I wouldn't take too many chances in a bathroom.

I'd doubt any modern buildings have marine ply on the floors unless explicitly requested in the design, many use OSB. WBP is also sufficient as a base for tiling in bathrooms.

You may need to re-do the entire floor, in which case some of the previous threads should help you out.
Leo
 
Bathrooms are not back to back. I find all the floors upstairs a bit springy. So basically my only permanent answer is lift all tiles; put down marine ply and do the job over?

Is that even a definite fix with "spingy floors"?
 
It may be possible that the ply is too thin or is lifting from the floor boards. I use the thickest ply that I can get (up to 19mm where possible); preferably OSG (one side good) ply with waterproof glue - i.e. shuttering ply, much cheaper than marine ply and will be more than adequate unless you are building a wet room. I screw it down with good quality screws in a grid with 10cm between each screw. It doesn't move!
 
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