Grout!?

Boo&BugsMom wrote: Ok, I have a question for anyone who is familiar with installing floor tile or things of the sort. We installed tile in our kitchen and dining room sometime last year. Our dining room is perfect, and the kitchen looks good too. However, in 2-3 different areas the grout keeps cracking. Not exploding cracking, more or less right on the edge of the grout line next to the tile, likes it "running away" from the tile. I have redone it dozens of times and it keeps re-cracking. We used backer board and did everything else we were suppose to do and there are no other spots but these 3 spots. The tiles are not loose and we used enough morter. I wouldn't be so irritated, but they are right in the middle of the floor!!! What could be the issue?

TheOaf66 replied: Please somebody help her, her neurosis will drive her insane

Boo&BugsMom replied:

C&K*s Mommie replied: No idea. Have you tried talking to someone who works with tile/grout often such as at a home improvement store, or tile businesses?

luvmykids replied: I don't know if this would apply, but did you guys use spacers or anything to allow for expansion? Maybe due to weather or whatever the grout is expanding?

redchief replied: Almost certainly it's a weak subfloor. Unfortunately there is no easy fix for this unless you can reinforce the floor from below. You could try latex grout, but that fix might cause the tile itself to crack.

Maddie&EthansMom replied:
We installed our own grout in our house. We have some in the entryway/hallway and some in the sunroom. The tile inside the house (hallway) did just fine. The tile in the sunroom is doing just as you described and it's b/c of the subfloor...just as Ed said. Sorry.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
This is what I was afraid of. You can get to our subfloor through our basement which is a good thing. Is there anything I can put down there to make it stronger? Like pieces of wood in certain places, etc.?

YuMe-n-GavMakes3 replied:
Its called "scabbing" Simply because you 'scab' a board along side the existing floor joist.

You find the spot directly below the troubled/weak places then (longer the span you repair the better [also the wider the scab board the better]) you nail a new 2 x 6 / 2 x 10... so on directly to the closest floor joist.


A good trick is to start by nailing one scab end secure, then use a good car jack and 'T' two 2x4's to make a pole cut to length needed then jack the other side of your 'scab' up as you nail along the joist.
Its also good to try pounding small shims between the top of your 'scab' and the bottom of the subfloor along the length afterwards to be sure of no room for floor movement.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
Thank you sooooo much! Now, to get DH to fix it.

J-rod replied:
took the words out of my mouth.

TheOaf66 replied: ok, now which one of you is going to come over and fix that???

Boo&BugsMom replied:
Looks like a nice fix-it job for you soon!!!