YOUR CRACK IS SHOWING....

Tile or stone decks, stairs, porches, sidewalks, balconies, verandas, and piazzas enhance the natural beauty of any outdoor space, however a shoddy installation won’t provide the long-lasting durability necessary to an area regularly exposed to the elements and high-traffic usage, and poorly secured tile can be a safety hazard.

It’s the odd year that I’m not called upon to inspect an exterior tile installation that has “issues”-- loose tiles, cracks in the grout, cracks in the tile, little cracks and big cracks, short cracks and long cracks.  Cracks, cracks, and more cracks. Let me assure you that tile does not crack on its own. Tile cracks because it has no give or malleability. You will not bend, stretch, or shrink a tile or stone without breaking it.   

When I inspect, the first thing I do is tap on the tile-- there is a distinct sound to a loose tile as compared to a firmly adhered tile. For you music fans out there, loose tile sounds like a B-flat stuck on C-sharp. But even with a tin ear, you can hear solid vs. hollow. Sub-par installations can show little cracking but mask a whole deck that was loose. In either case the prognosis is usually terminal and requires a complete re-installation.

All too often, installers either don’t know or don’t care about the integrity of the project.  Telling a homeowner that their two year-old pool deck must be totally replaced is never fun.  Inevitably, the question of whether we can “just pick them up and stick them back down, or re-grout?” has a disappointing answer.  The cost is always higher than the original install . To remove old tile, (unfortunately, it is not cost-effective to reuse the old tile), the removal of the old setting cement, then trash removal already sets your installation costs higher than they would have been with a knowledgeable installer doing the work correctly the first time.  The headache of forklifts, dumpsters, truck access, etc. are unforeseen costs that can come close to the original cost and we still have to re-tile the deck!

Most often this scenario could have been avoided.  Total structural failures that could have been eliminated by using a simple expansion joint or a different mortar, would only have added $25.00 to the cost of the project.  

Hiring an experienced, knowledgeable contractor who will install correctly the first time is always the best option. If you can’t afford to do it right the first time, how the heck can you afford to do it over again?  Meet with a professional early on, and allow them to be involved in the whole process. If you all work together with the same goal, chances are you can stay within budget and be much more satisfied with the final product that will add to the enjoyment of your home for many years to come.  

Yes, WE DO THAT!