What Is Tile Popping | 6 Top Reasons for Tiles Popping | How To Repair Pop Up Tiles | Tiles Buckling

9 min readSep 2, 2022

What Is Tile Popping?

Tile popping is the phenomenon where the floor tiles pop out, break or bend and causing unevenness in the floor. Nowadays, most houses consist of floor tiles instead of concrete or marble.

Tile Popping

Tiles don’t require any kind of polishing or finishing to look good like the marble floor. Tiles are shiny and aesthetic from the beginning. Tile popping is a big problem and can be really frustrating to many people.

There are many reasons for tile popping and one of the major reasons is the air trapped inside the floor. This air can create pressure in some kind of weather causing the tiles to pop out. The side tile applies force inwards and the air trapped puts additional force to blow out.

Because of these reasons, many people tend to choose smaller dimension tiles which are more prone to tile popping or breaking. Thus people deduce and choose large dimension tiles which can solve the problem to some extent.

Let’s look into some more reasons why tile popping or breaking occurs.

Reason For Tile Popping

We discussed the biggest reason for tile popping was air trapped in the ground. We will discuss it and some more reasons why it occurs.

To know the solution for tile popping we need to first learn why it occurs. Reasons for tile popping are as follows:

1. The Subfloor Is not level

If you get a cheap contractor, he might put less effort into a better floor. The preparation of the flooring or also called screeding might be bad and rough. If floor installers or tilers are put into this situation.

There is a huge chance that their laziness can cause this problem. This might not be visible at the time of installation but it’s been a huge problem for a long time.

This can be only solved or prevented by making sure that the screening process is done using top-quality material and workers. The wall’s plaster-like roughness is the desired roughness.

2. Proper cleanliness not done by the workers while installing

If the first problem is caused by workers, then this might be caused by installers. Top-quality workers have enough experience and they know that the subfloor must be cleaned properly before installing the tiles.

Either this is done by them or they seek help from other helpers to clean the subfloor. However, the worker might be in a hurry they might not put this into consideration.

Other things which can make them not put the effort into the work can be paid based on volume rather than hourly.

3. Use of bad quality adhesives or wrong mortar mixture by workers

Tiles nowadays are mostly placed with mortars (a mixture of cement and sand). The bad quality of sand or cement can cause this problem as well. Bad quality sand i.e.

lots of mud content usually increases the chances of this problem happening. The other factor can be workers using pre-mixed mortars (factory produced) which usually have the wrong water content to mix. This is totally a matter of workers’ lack of experience.

4. The tile was not properly blown with a rubber hammer

When it comes to larger dimensions of tiles, there is a chance that the tiles are unevenly pressured, which creates air that will loosen the bonding when the mortar is dry.

The larger dimensions of the tiles will solve the tile popping problem because they might be too heavy to pop, but it won’t solve the problem entirely.

5. Less gap provided between tiles

This is a common problem for those who want their ceramic tile to seem like marble. On marbles, the gap appears to be very small and hidden. As a result, they wish to achieve the same thing with ceramics.

I can assure you that you can handle ceramic tiles with the same ease as marble tiles. It’s two different materials, each with its own set of qualities. Ceramics require greater space to breathe and expand/swell. A minimum of 3 mm spacing between tiles is required for homogeneous tiles. More ceramic tiles are required.

6. Weather Conditions are Unfavourable

If all of the preceding arguments are the result of human error and inexperience, there is one absolute force that cannot be avoided: the weather.

If the region of the floor is immediately exposed to sunshine, there is a risk of tile popping up because direct sunlight causes heat, which causes tiles to expand. As a result, if the adhesives are weak, the tiles may pop up and buckle.

Tiles that have been exposed to a lot of moisture are prone to popping. Because there’s a chance the tiles will swell and pop up.

Let’s now move into the solution of how we can solve the problem of tile popping.

How to repair pop up tiles

Floors are one of the most important parts of the house, and they will be quite inconvenient if they are broken and need to be repaired in the near future. As a result, flooring projects must be taken seriously.

However, flooring construction has begun at the end of the project. As a result, both the spirit and the resource have most likely been depleted. For cost-cutting reasons, some people will down-spec (alter tiles and mortars to less expensive options). This is a poor decision.

The installer is another key consideration. Floor installers are one of the highest-paid workers at Sunggiardi Construction. Before we trust workers to install floors, they must have worked as stone masons for a long time, and we will first put them to the test in the service area. We ensure that only high-quality workers perform the flooring work using this policy.

Heat and humidity are common environmental factors that affect outdoor areas.

Solution If this already happened

We have to tell you the truth: tile popping is similar to cancer. Even if you tackle the problems at the source, it has a possibility to spread once you have them. Concerning the exploding floor.

Popped Tiles Replacement

When you knock the tile next to you, it usually gives you hollow feedback. So, even if you merely replace the popping tiles, the tile popping may occur again in the area in 3–12 months.

When our clients’ tiles begin to pop, we normally advise them to replace the entire floor in the region. Another problem is that there are frequently insufficient extra tiles to replace the floor. As a result, the color of the replacement floor will be different.

Notes to keep in mind while changing popping tiles

When removing your old tile, keep the following points in mind

- When removing tile, never use a sledgehammer. You run the danger of causing damage to your floor’s underlying structure.

- To keep tile pieces from moving into other rooms, tape the space beneath your doors.

- To prepare for the removal job, clean the region.

- To dispose of the tiles that have been removed, use heavy-duty demo bags.

- Break apart the installed tiles with small hand hammers.

- To achieve a proper bond, make sure both the adhesive and the surface aren’t dry before placing the tile.

- Make sure you’re wearing the proper safety gear (eye protection, etc.).

Some things to remember

- Finding a new matching replacement tile is the most difficult part of replacing a damaged tile. Hopefully, you have extra tiles from the original installation or know where to get them.

- Bring your old tile to a respected tile store to see if they have a replacement.

- To make spaces between any tiles you’re removing and tiles you don’t want to remove, use a utility knife to chop off any residual grout.

- Remove any attached tiles with care, being careful not to loosen the adjacent tiles.

- Clear out all of the adhesive and pieces, then dampen the wood and rub the area with a moist sponge to help it attach to the adhesive.

- Put your new adhesive to work.

- To make a firmer connection, cut notches in the adhesive.

- Make sure the tile is flat and lined up appropriately.

- Using a float, apply the grout at a slight diagonal to the grouted joint.

- Remove extra grout with a moist sponge once the grouting is complete.

- For the first 24 hours, stay away from the newly laid tile.

- With a damp sponge, wipe away the haze of grout residue, then buff with a dry sponge.

Advantages of tiles flooring

Durability

When it comes to stains and damage, tile is incredibly durable. Tile is an excellent choice for high-traffic kinds of areas. It doesn’t have a lot of impact resistance, so if you drop something heavy on tile, it’ll crack just like anything else.

Low Intensity

Tile requires little maintenance because it is so long-lasting. They’ll have to be cleaned just like any other dirty surface in your home. Once every 4–5 years, you should apply a sealer to your tile. Apart from that, there isn’t much to be concerned about when it comes to keeping your tiles in good condition.

Affordability

Ceramic tiles are inexpensive, making them one of the most cost-effective flooring options. When you consider the initial cost of purchasing and installing tiles, as well as their durability and lack of costly upkeep, it’s evident that tiles are well worth the investment. Of course, the sort of tile you use makes a difference: there are more expensive and high-end tiles available.

Resistant to Water

Ceramic tiles have a glazed protective layer on their surface that prevents stain penetration and water damage. This is why tile is so popular for bathroom flooring. They’re also inherently resistant to moisture, making them perfect for use in humid or hot environments.

Eco friendly

Raw materials such as glass, sand, and clay are commonly used to create Eco-Friendly Tiles. Ceramic tiles are frequently made using these elements in combination with other recycled materials.

They can also have a direct impact on your personal environment: they can lower your heating bills by acting as insulation, keeping your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Value at Resale

Installing tile in your home can also prove to be cost-effective in the long term if you plan to sell your home. There have been numerous instances where installing a tile floor raised a home’s market value significantly. A beautiful tile floor could increase the value of your property by thousands of dollars.

The State of the Air

Tiles are burnt at extremely high temperatures in kilns, resulting in the absence of volatile organic components. This is critical because VOCs are linked to a variety of health issues.

Although some other types of flooring (such as vinyl and carpet) emit minimal levels of VOCs, none can compete with tiles on a toe-to-toe basis.

FAQs:

What are the Advantages of tiles flooring?1. Durability
2. Resistant to Water
3. Low Intensity
4. Value at Resale
5. Eco friendly
6. The State of the AirWhat do you mean by Tile popping?Tile popping is the phenomenon where the floor tiles pop out, break or bend and causing unevenness in the floor. Nowadays, most houses consist of floor tiles instead of concrete or marble. Which type of Prevention take for tile popping?Floors are one of the most important parts of the house, and they will be quite inconvenient if they are broken and need to be repaired in the near future. As a result, flooring projects must be taken seriously.

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