Porcelain tiles are dense and hard material ones that can take more weight on themselves than many other planks and slabs. They barely break but form slight cracks due to some severe conditions on the temperature or the excessive mass on top of them. Other than these factors, porcelain tile is famous for being durable, waterproof, and solid tile in the marketplace.
Some Reasons Why They May Crack
Here are some possible reasons why a strong tile such as porcelain may break and cause damage to other tiles as well.
Sub-standard Material
Perhaps the tile you installed is one sub-standard porcelain tile that is of no good. It was sure to break someday because cheaper alternatives can sometimes be frauds! The quality of the cheapest porcelain tiles might be so poor, that they broke for common reasons. Porcelain usually has long-term reliability, hence used in bathrooms for centuries. If you want tiles on budget, consult an interior designer first for the best brand.
Excessive Load on the Tile
Moving a heavy trolley, a showcase, truck inside the porch with porcelain tiles, or a sudden drop of mass on the tile can damage the tile. Such scenarios build invisible cracks inside the tile and weaken it from the inside, upon another incident; they completely break and damage the tiles around it as well. Heavy loads carried on the tile is dangerous as it can crack the tile and break its material pieces. If you drop a tremendous load at once, it cannot only damage tile but also the underlay of the backboard along too. Irons, appliances, and heavy pots if mishandled can break and crack tiles as well!
Your tile can support no more than about 250 pounds of load on it that too tested best against all other tiles and of exceptional quality tile. On the other hand, reliable branded tile is rarely easy to crack.
Installation Mishap
If there are some spaces and joints left out while installing the tile, they will give the tile to slip under or ruin the assembly of tiles around it. This makes the tile easy to crack with gaps around it. The subfloor and underlayment can also be placed incorrectly with air spaces, which will give the tile some room to break.
Already Has Some Minor Cracks
If you notice minor cracks and slight veins of cracks from some time, it means the layer beneath the tile has cracks and air gaps that make it hard to handle the tile above. If the foundation is weak, you can never rely on any tile not to weaken over time. Make sure to keep the underlayment stronger than the tile. It will cost you more for the whole foundation procedure than just to replace the outer tile. The concrete layer underneath might also be wet when the tile was installed. This makes another reason for cracks in the tile. The concrete needs to dry properly before the installation.
Conclusion
Make sure to check for the reason behind the cracking issue first, before you go for tile replacement. This was all about the multiple reasons for tile cracks.
