Ceramic Tile Expansion Joint Spacing

Locate openings for expansion joints directly over cold joints and structural joints.

Ceramic tile expansion joint spacing.

For example 12 inch tiles varying 1 8 inch piece to piece need a larger grout joint than perfectly consistent material. It s quite common to see controlled breaks in concrete and those are usually expansion joints. Install the caulk after the tiles have been set and before the grout is installed. An expansion joint is in the substrate for instance in concrete.

Should tile go over a hump in the floor the grout joint will open. The as 3958 1 australian standard guide to the installation of ceramic tiles section 5 4 5 1 cautions that. The tile council of north america and accompanying tile organizations recommend an average grout joint width of 3 16 inch for every 1 16 inch variation in the size of the tiles. In large areas expansion joints will be necessary for the concrete itself for all the same reasons as are needed for wall and floor tiles.

As the plane of the tile changes the grout joint allows for this change. If you tile over an expansion joint then you need to honor that joint in the tile as well. It allows for movement in the tile. Twelve inch tiles typically have at least 3 16 to as much as 5 16 inch spacing between pieces.

Caulk the grout gap between two adjacent rows of tile all the way across the floor. Where should movement joints be placed. The theory is to create tile fields large enough to absorb differential movement between the substrate and the ceramic or stone covering movement joints must be installed in certain areas and positions to prevent tiles or grout from cracking and in some cases prevent the tiles from tenting and becoming debonded from the substrate. For example if you take two 12 inch tiles and compare them side to side and there is a variation of 1 16 inch in the two tiles you are recommended to use at least a 3.

Learn all about expansion joints here. Also some 12 inch tiles have a nub on the backside of the tile determining the spacing. Recognizing that tile is a facade movement joints are needed to eliminate stresses that can occur between the substrate and the tile due to differing amounts of expansion and contraction. When tile follows a depression in the floor the grout joint will narrow.

Expansion of the substrate due to ingress of moisture like shrinkage any change of moisture content will result in a change of shape and size ultimately leading to movement with similar consequences. A movement joint is in the tile only. The tcna handbook recommends allowing for expansion and contraction in every tile installation. If the ceramic tile floor is wider or longer than 25 feet you will need to install an expansion joint near the center of the floor.