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Cracked tile, stone or grout lines.

A tile contractor should inspect and repair the floor, and a structural engineer should judge any framing or slab concern.

Customers put it like this

  • tile is cracking in a line
  • grout keeps cracking
  • crack runs across the whole floor
  • stone floor cracked
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Stop first if

  • New cracks are opening, doors bind suddenly or a sag changes week to week.Stop work and keep people clear. Call a structural engineer.
  • The slab is or may be post-tensioned.Do not drill, cut or core. Get the engineer's tendon layout first.
  • Grinding or cutting tile or grout is planned.Hold until the crew has dust control and breathing protection.
01

Ask on the call

6

Homeowner? These are the questions a good technician will ask you. Having the answers ready makes the first visit count.

  1. Do the cracks run in straight lines?
  2. Is the floor over a slab or wood framing?
  3. How old is the floor, and how old was the slab when it went in?
  4. Is a crack growing, or has one edge gone higher?
  5. Is there a heated floor under it?
  6. Was any plumbing or remodel work done below?
02

Bring

5
  • Long straightedge
  • Tape measure
  • Sketch paper
  • Flashlight
  • Phone for photos
03

Check on site

6
  1. Map every crack and hollow line on a sketch.
  2. Locate joists, panel seams and slab joints, and compare them with the map.
  3. From below, record joist size, span, spacing and any cuts or notches.
  4. Remove base at two or three walls and look for an open perimeter gap.
  5. For stone over wood, look for a second sheathing layer.
  6. Hand framing concerns to an engineer, and size nothing in the flooring workflow.
04

Keep on the record

4
  • Crack map against joists, seams and slab joints
  • Photos with a scale
  • Joist size, span and spacing
  • Install date and slab age

General guidance for a qualified person, not a finding about any home. The person on site decides.