The biggest problem with tile floors? The grout

Tile floors have been the standard for luxury installations for more than 2,000 years. But in the last decade, in particular, new materials and building techniques are challenging this method, because of both appearance and long-term performance.

First, let's talk about the biggest problem with tile floors. They have three main weaknesses: grout, grout and grout. Grout is integral to tiling floors, and while there is nothing wrong with the product itself, it has some inherent weaknesses in how we use it in our modern homes.

Modern-house floor construction (with smaller-dimension lumber and greater spacing between supports) is more flexible than you'll find in older homes. If you compare a new 2 x 6 versus a 2 x 6 from 50 years ago, you will see a big difference. In places where framing was once spaced 16 inches on centre, now it's common to see them spaced 24 inches on centre. All of this adds up to a framed house that has more "give" in it. Structurally speaking, the frame is still strong enough to do the job, but this added flexibility doesn't take into consideration the effect it has on a tile floor. That flex will cause grout to crack.

However, ceramic, porcelain, slate, and other types of floor tile require absolute rigidity in their support. One of the biggest complaints from new homebuyers is cracking floor grout. The builders are diligent in coming back and repairing the grout during the warrantee period, but the reason for the cracking grout has not been addressed. Without addressing the frame flex, the cracked grout will more than likely return over time.

Depending on the situation, the fix can be as simple as adding more blocking to the floor joists directly under the tile floor. This works where there are small areas, such as a powder room or front entrance. For areas where there is more tile coverage over a greater span, the joists may need to be laminated, or doubled up, in order to reduce the floor flex.

I think many people are drawn to a tile and grout floor because of its lasting durability, over alternative flooring systems. But durability depends on investing in high-quality materials. One option is the use of a decoupling membrane, such as the orange waffle sheets I recommend, which will allow for the flex. But these products aren't cheap, and many people don't want to spend the money for something they can't see. The smart money isn't spent properly.

There's another tile floor product that causes a lot of grief: the material that bonds the tile to the floor. The product I use is called Thinset. It comes in powder form and there is a big cost difference between cheap, low-quality product that doesn't adhere well over time, and expensive product that has excellent adhesion, and durability. Ultimately, the difference is in the longevity: The cheap stuff only performs for a few years and the expensive stuff can last a lifetime.

Since builders and contractors don't have any vested interest in seeing your tile floor last a lifetime, only a few invest on your behalf in buying the high-quality Thinset.

And when it comes to the DIY crowd, I'm never surprised when I'm at a big-box store and the shelf with the cheap product is always almost empty, while sitting on the shelf right beside it is the expensive product. I don't have to tell you that it's stocked full. Even when homeowners have the choice, they still opt for the cheap stuff without understanding the consequence of their decision.

If you've ever dropped anything hard, such as a cooking pot, on a tiled kitchen floor, you'll know the tile or gout it hits can crack or chip. That's one reason vinyl floors are so popular for kitchens: They're more forgiving. But vinyl flooring doesn't look like tile.

But now you can buy a peel-and-stick vinyl tile product that you can put grout in between in order to make it look like real tile, without the expense. Not a good idea. I would like to remind everyone that "crap plus crap equals crap".

Grout depends on rigidity and good adhesion, and grout also needs to be a certain thickness to gain its maximum strength. If you look at the sides of a ceramic or porcelain tile, you will notice it has a certain thickness to it and the sides are left unfinished. This is so the grout can better stick to the edges of the tile and enough of the product gets down in between the tile to give it some strength.

A groutable vinyl tile is just half the thickness, and because the vinyl tile has rounded edges, there's even less space for the material to work itself in between. This is not a good situation.