Why is my tile making a crackling noise?

Floor tile in high rise buildings can suffer from "COMPRESSION".  Compression is caused by the building shifting slightly(we are talking fractions of an inch).  The buildings are designed to shift to divert the effect of high consistent winds. It typically goes unnoticed, but it does become apparent in the ceramic flooring, mainly in the restrooms.  The reason it is confined to the restrooms has to do with the wall base used.  Many city zoning ordinances require a "sanitary base "  be used in public restrooms.   The photo on the left shows a sanitary base.  This  traps the floor tile in between the sanitary wall base.   It has no where  to expand and contract to when the building moves.  So, what happens is the weakest point of the floor pops loose.  This is typically not severe enough to create a tripping hazard, but just enough movement to cause the bond to break. When the bond breaks the floor is sitting on the dried mortar bed, which when walked on makes a crackling sound.  This sound will get worse over time.  You can re-install the loose tile and buy yourself some time, but the problem will return the next time the building flexes.  A permanent solution cannot be had until the wall base is changed, allowing the floor tile room to expand and contract with the movement of the building. If you are unsure about your tile situation, send me an email with your information, and I will drop by and see if we can figure it out together.  You can reach me at the following


[email protected]

Thanks for reading.
Frank New

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