All you need to know about tile flooring is listed in this Flat possession checklist. Builder handover checklist helps to verify & rectify tiling quality issues. Points mentioned in this post will help you determine the quality of the tiling work and the actions necessary to correct some of the common problems.

How flat possession checklist for floor tiling will help in verifying quality of labor work?

1. Take a small wood stick or take a white board marker and hit across every tiles.
2. If you hear a hollow sound, that indicate that the tile laid but do not have cement or support below that.
3. Look for cracked tiles.
4. Look for chipping on the edges of the tiles.
5. Check if the tile joints are not grouted using a quality grout material. 
6. Look for leveling of the floors in all carpet area.
7. In bath room, ensure that the slope is given correctly so that water is draining easily.
8. Ensure that water is not getting accumulated near bath room door frame.

Above Quality checklist for floor tiling will be helpful because you cannot find out these issues by just looking. And also builder will try to hide such facts in most of the cases.

General problems with tile laying and factors determining the labor for tiling quality?

1. Tile not stuck to the floor properly causing gaps below the tiles.
2. Chipping of the tile edges.
3. Uneven space between the tiles or tile joints.
4. Not grouted properly. Grouting means filling the gap between two tiles.

Tiling Quality & Grouting – Key points to note

1. Although it is costlier, using stain free grout like Latacrete SP-100 may be always good. Note that this is a chemical based grout and the powder in the SP-100 kit contains three components (the filler material of selected color, chemical part-A and chemical part-B). In no case water should be used to mix the filler as I observed unskilled labors use water to mix the filler easily.
2. Regular grout from Latacrete or other brands is the alternative option. While the filler material may be mixed with water, use the chemical to prepare the grout for longevity.
3. Especially in bath rooms. the grouting makes a BIG difference. If tile joints are not grouted properly, water will get absorbed by the adjacent walls causing peeling off of paint on the wall. Also it will cause water leaking down to the floor and concrete causing leakage issues as well as resulting the rusting of metal rods inside the concrete. Remember that when oxidation (or rust) of the metal rods happens, it will cause the expansion of the rod size resulting in cracks in concrete. Expansion can happen from 2 to 7 times and that much big crack in concrete can happen.
4. Refer the importance of maintaining water pressure in my other post which will help to avoid the pipe fittings & joints leaking due to pressure issues. 

Why hollow tiles are very bad?

1. When hollow tiles are there, there is every possibility of tile getting cracked a small item with some weight falls on the floor. Since tile have a hollow space below it, when the weight falls, it may crack easily.

How much easy to repair above faults?

1. Ideally if any of the above mentioned issue happens. we will need to replace the faulty tile. This is a cumbersome job involving time and duct creation.
2. In some cases, if the hollow area is on tile joints, we can make a small cut between the joints and fill white cement solution to get rid of the hollow area. Aesthetically it may not be that great too.

Precautions when replacing the tile – Quality checklist for floor tiling ?

As mentioned earlier, Quality checklist for floor tiling mentioned above can assist you while taking over a flat or house. What if something went bad and a repair is needed. Refer following tips to avoid further damages.

1. Use good quality of labor to avoid creating damage to adjacent tiles.
2. Better to apply the thin tile cutter blade between the tile joints before start removing the faulty tile. This will help creating chipping to adjacent tile while removing the faulty tile or fixing new tile.
3. Always use stain free grout solution like Latacrete SP-100 so that joints will be good and also it will not acquire the stains, if applied correctly.
4. Cementing the tiles before fixing. Proper application of cement will avoid hollow tiles.

Tile joint types – Paper Joint type vs. Spacer Joint type tiling

I hope you are following what I am trying to share about Quality checklist for floor tiling.

If you have an opportunity to select the tile joints, refer the followings to help you to decide.

1. Paper joint – Thin gap between tile joints. But lot of quality issues expected as mentioned in next paragraph. It is the economical option.
2. Spacer joint – Even gap between tile joints. Better quality of tiling.

As my flooring is done with paper joint type and found many issue with it comparing to the joints appearing like above (spacer joint). Paper joints leads to unequal gaps between tiles, which cannot be grouted properly resulting to the dust or stain collection in the joints. Of course the paper joint consumes less grout, labor etc. and economical.

Placing tiles using spacers is called as spacer joint. Replacing damaged tile is easier as we can remove the specific tile without causing damage to the nearest tiles. In case of a Paper Joint, to remove a tile, you MUST cut the gap between tiles using a fine floor cutter so that when you break and remove the tile, it will not damage adjacent tiles.So discuss with your contractor and get the quality assurance as indicated in this post before deciding the type of joints.

So discuss with your contractor and get the quality assurance as indicated in this post before deciding the type of joints, if an option is available. Otherwise while take over of the new home or flat, refer this flat possession checklist.  You may refer this link for additional information. Major brands in India for Ceramic tiles are;

1. Johnson
2. Kajaria
3. Somany
4. Cera etc.

Also I recommend you to read the article – TYRE BURST reason& 1 MUST AVOID & 3 EASY ways to CONTROL CAR.

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