Tile installation, what to do with contraction joins?

[Tony_G]

Hello everyone, long time lurker, first time poster here.

I came across this forum long ago when looking for garage flooring options. I've completed a couple of epoxy jobs in the two houses I've owned until now, they looked great at first, until the garages started getting dirty, they haven't peeled or anything, but they definitely no longer look like day one, even after cleaning up (I used the expoxyshield from home depot, so that may be the reason why).

I have been thinking about a better flooring option, I'm not sold on Racedeck, I don't think it looks that nice, it looks plastic (obviously), so I've been considering the porcelain tile option.

One question I have though, is in regards to the contraction joints, I live in Colorado so we get a warm summer and a somewhat cold winter, that kind of worries me, I would not want my tiles to crack/break over time.

So, for those of you in colder areas who have gone the tile route, what did you do with your contraction joints? Are you satisfied with the results? Any cracked/broken tiles?

Thanks in advance!

 

[dfiler2]

You would leave a small gap at the expansion joints here.

 

[6t7gto]

Here is how I did mine.
I did it in 2 different colors. Followed the control joints with the lighter tile with the grout line. Then filled the field with the darker tile.
It has been down for 10 years and I only have one cracked tile. Evidently I didn't back butter that one well enough.

Post 31.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2719&page=2

I am outside of Cleveland, Ohio and we get freezing weather here and I have had no problems.

 

[1949 caddyman]

I put a sitting room on master bedroom. Took out a window to the floor for the opening into the room. I put the tile in so that a grout line fell on the expansion joint. It has not cracked in 15 years. This is Arizona, no freezing.

 

[Tony_G]

Thank you all.

Here is how I did mine.

Is your grout line wider where the contraction joints are or are they the same as the rest?

Seems like a good solution, I would have to decide about colors, though. I have been checking the home improvement stores' websites and it seems like most nice colors are special order.

 

[duneslider]

You shouldn't need to make the joint bigger over the expansion joints but it is best to use a flexible sealant in that joint and not regular grout.

 

[Jon In Tucson]

Tony,
Another option used by the pro tile guys is called "slipsheet". Use floor mastic to glue down a paper similar in thickness to 15 lb roof felt over cracks or expansion joints. I've seen it in the big box stores, but don't remember the name. After the mastic dries just set the field tiles as normal. The idea is, if there is movement in the slab,it won't be transmitted up to the tile or grout joints by cracking. I learned of this technique half way through setting saltillo tile in our home in Tucson. Where I didn't slipsheet, I have some cracks, but none where the slipsheet is. The saltillo is soft and about 1"thick and is set in a 1/2" to 3/4" thinset bed. God bless.
Jon In Tucson

 

[clamhammer]

There's a couple of different things you can do. Either way i would make sure the expansion joint is also a grout joint. Its not always possible to do that for every expansion joint if there is more than one in each direction. There is a product called Red Guard thats a crack isolation membrane, paint it over the joint along with some crack suppression cloth, do your tile and use a calking over the joint that matches the grout. Most grout companies have a matching caulk. My family owns a flooring company and all we use is Tec brand thinsets, mastics, grouts and caulks. we have never had an issue with the caulk matching the grout color like some other brands have issues with. Make sure the caulking that you get is SANDED so it matches the rest of the grout. Buy the best thinset you can find. We only use Tec superflex its latex modified so that will help with the minor expansion contraction caused by hot and cold they also make a thinset called fullflex witch is a notch below superflex. Just make 100% sure that the tile is where you want it because IT WILL NOT come back up easily with superflex (i have nightmares about having to pull up tile).

 

[duneslider]

Expansion joint and control joints can have vertical and horizontal movement. NO crack suppression or slip sheet will protect from that. How much are you willing to risk is the question? No manufacturer will warantee tiling over the joints. Proceed with caution.

 

[Tony_G]

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions, I will look into the "slipsheet" and the superflex/fullflex thin sets.

Hopefully I can get this going as soon as it warms up.