What causes cracked grout?

What causes grout to crumble or crack and how can we prevent further damage?

Why does grout crack?

Loose, crumbly or cracked grout is not only an unsightly blight on your tiled floor, but also can lead to extensive issues with your tiles as well. Once a grout line crack or begins to come loose it can quickly spread throughout your entire floor and soon you will have tiles moving and lifting.

So what is it that causes grout to crack?

Pressure

One of the most common causes of loose grout is the tiles themselves being placed under immense pressure. This can happen for a number of reasons, but the most important thing to remember is that unless the issue with the tiles is fixed, the issue with the grout will continue to get worse.

A lot of people will see loose, cracked or crumbly grout and will simply replace the grout or patch up unsightly areas. This is a cosmetic fix that unfortunately will not last long!

If your grout is coming loose, or showing signs of cracking or crumbling, it means that your tiles are MOVING, due to a buildup of pressure under your floor. The pressure, caused by a lack of expansion lines, or an issue with the adhesive under your tiles which is causing them to shift. As the tiles shift, the grout cracks and crumbles!

Cracked Grout is caused by tile pressure nd can be ixed by tile injection

Loose or cracked grout is a sure sign of de-lamination in your floor.

Substrate Movement

Changes in temperature, warping of timber floor or moisture coming up through a concrete foundation can often cause huge shifts in the substrate which will inflict great amounts of stress on your grout lines and tiles. Often the grout lines will give way first, especially if any evidence of the above symptoms is shown, however sometimes the tile will shift first which in turn will wreak havoc on your grout lines.

The best solution for dealing with substrate movement is to create strategically placed expansion joints throughout your home to allow for movement and take the pressure off your grout lines and tiles.

How to fix cracked grout

For any grout related issues, the answer is not to patch over the affected areas. This will ultimately lead to further deterioration within the grout lines. The key is to fix the issue at the source to avoid any further issues with tile movement or cracking. If grout lines start to crumble or crack talk to our expert team at Barefoot Floors for diagnosis and a quick and easy solution for your home.

All of our tile injection work is covered by a 7 year guarantee, meaning you can rest easy knowing your floor tiles are stuck solid, and your issues with loose or crumbling grout will be no more!