Help!: My tiles are cracking

[nicky H]

I'm not a tiler, or DIYer, but a tilee, with problems. I suspect, from reading the forum on adhesive and joints, what my problem could be, but I need help! I had a lovely travertine floor laid 6 months ago, on a new concrete(?)base, with electric EFH. Cracks are now appearing in my tiles, with alarming frequency. My contractor is aware, but suggests the tiles may be at fault. What can anyone suggest? A friend has used the same tiles from the same supplier, with UFH, and no cracks.....
It is a large area (30sqm)

[uug197h]

if you remove some of the cracked tiles you may find the new concrete floor has cracked . you may have needed thermo boards over the concrete of laytex screed to help stop it cracking

[cornish_crofter]

If the cracks in the tiles are in line then the above may well be true.

[enduro]

Was the screed fully dry, did you turn up ufh gradually, did the tiler leave expansion joint around edge of room, did he use flexible adhesive and grout....could be a number of reasons.

[bootsmckiber]

Did you put down any isolation membrane,I did a job,3000 sq ft of lovely travertine,on cement,heated pipes in the cement floor,That was last year,not one call back,if you're not using isolation membrane you should at least throw in some expansion joints and if price isn't the object throw down some hardi backer,obviously when you're setting on heat there's more to it than just slapping them down,with heat you have a lot of expansion and contraction,deal with it accordingly,there's more than enough proffesional advice on these sites,next time,take your time,ask where you're not sure,nothing worse than ripping up a heated floor,my guess is no isolation membrane,good luck on that one.Of course the contractor will blame the tile,ask him what he used on top of the cement,I think there you'll find yourt answer.Cheers.
Mike

[nicky H]

Well, it would appear that my suspicions are being confirmed....I bought the tiles from a reputable source, and believed I had a reliable and knowledgable contactor. Thank you for your replies.

[milan11]

How thick is your travertine?

Btw, depend how many cracks you have, you can fill them with tenax.
Is it filled or unfilled travertine?

[nicky H]

It's 12mm thick. I don't think filler will help - the cracks are multiplying at an alarming rate!

[bootsmckiber]

Nicky's right,if the Travertine is unfilled you could fill it with grout for "appearence" sake,but your problem lies beneath the tile and until you figure out why your floor is cracking nobody's making any money,you need to check the cement foundation,if the cemnent is cracking and you didn't pour the concrete then you just saved yourself a world of frustration,if you poured the cement and that's where the cracks are starting from,well buddy,balls to the wall,hair straight back start ripping up that floor and keep me posted.How big of an area did you say it was?
Mike

[nicky H]

Coming through loud and clear! I didn't do anything personally other than pay for it all, and seal them, but I can feel some delicate negotiations coming on. Many thanks for the advice.

[doug boardley]

sounds very much like the tiler has used neither flexi adhesive and/or grout imo

[uug197h]

Nicky can you post some photos, there may be somthing we are missing and it would help to see the problem