Grout on porcelain patio failing after 2 years
Discussion
We had our patio done(porcelain tiles)2 years ago. Not the cheap quote and they were very thorough with great attention to detail. Very happy with the job up until now!
However after 2 years there are a number of areas where the grout is cracking. Patio is south facing so gets very hot in the summer. This is what they used to do it -
https://www.ultraproducts.co.uk/landscaping/jointi...
Is this normal? I m a bit disappointed but no idea if they would come back to fix it, feels unlikely.
A few examples below. It does seem to be on what I would describe is high spots. Nothing you’d spot unless you were on your hands and knees but still 1 or 2mm difference maybe.
However after 2 years there are a number of areas where the grout is cracking. Patio is south facing so gets very hot in the summer. This is what they used to do it -
https://www.ultraproducts.co.uk/landscaping/jointi...
Is this normal? I m a bit disappointed but no idea if they would come back to fix it, feels unlikely.
A few examples below. It does seem to be on what I would describe is high spots. Nothing you’d spot unless you were on your hands and knees but still 1 or 2mm difference maybe.
Edited by 8-P on Saturday 22 August 08:06
FWIW
7.4 The Contractor will be responsible for remedying defects in the Works which appear within 6
years from the Completion Date and the Client must inform the Contractor as soon as he becomes
aware of any defects for which the Contractor is responsible. Defects in design or materials
supplied by suppliers and defects attributable to fair wear and tear or to misuse or failure by the
Client to comply with any operating or maintenance manuals will not be the responsibility of the
Contractor.
7.5 Where equipment or materials used in the Works have the benefit of a manufacturer’s
warranty, the Contractor will take steps to procure that the Client has the benefit of that
warranty. The Contractor will not be liable for any defect in the equipment or materials except to the
extent that this is due to the Contractor’s negligence.
7.4 The Contractor will be responsible for remedying defects in the Works which appear within 6
years from the Completion Date and the Client must inform the Contractor as soon as he becomes
aware of any defects for which the Contractor is responsible. Defects in design or materials
supplied by suppliers and defects attributable to fair wear and tear or to misuse or failure by the
Client to comply with any operating or maintenance manuals will not be the responsibility of the
Contractor.
7.5 Where equipment or materials used in the Works have the benefit of a manufacturer’s
warranty, the Contractor will take steps to procure that the Client has the benefit of that
warranty. The Contractor will not be liable for any defect in the equipment or materials except to the
extent that this is due to the Contractor’s negligence.
8-P said:
Mike Legerwood said:
If the grout is cracking in the high spots as you have noticed, it sounds as if the tiles have moved.
Oh great. Really don t want the entire patio lifted up!It just seems too much of a coincidence that the grout is cracking where you have noticed the tiles now have high spots.
Mike Legerwood said:
8-P said:
Mike Legerwood said:
If the grout is cracking in the high spots as you have noticed, it sounds as if the tiles have moved.
Oh great. Really don t want the entire patio lifted up!It just seems too much of a coincidence that the grout is cracking where you have noticed the tiles now have high spots.
8-P said:
That's never going to be immune to some movement. Especially when the only truly solid part is just sand cement mix and it has nice straight edges through most of the thickness from when it was laid. I went for a much stiffer base when I last did one, the ground wasn't that good. And starting off with a flat solid platform meant it didn't need a load of stuff putting down for levelling & fixing each tile. And it's not like a reinforced slab is expensive.
You wouldn't lay a porcelain tiled floor like that, you'd go more for a solid slab and then put a bed of flexible adhesive.
As it is it's probably fixable without redoing the lot, assuming the slabs will lift, itherwise just fix the grout and live with it. But I'd wait a month or two as it might just shift back.
This year has been the worst I've known for shrinkage and movement since we had our porcelain patio done 7 years ago. Fortunately only had 1 or 2 loose tiles, the main issue has been the edging bricks on the south facing side separating from the patio from where the lawn has shrunk back and it wasn't properly supported.
I haven't found any grout product that has stood the test of time, especially on south facing, and I've tried many.
I haven't found any grout product that has stood the test of time, especially on south facing, and I've tried many.
Are you on clay soil? We've had so long of hot dry weather the clay base has shrunk, causing all sorts of problems for some people where I live
We dug out too much by mistake, so put down even more ballets to raise it so haven't an issue with the patio, but the small path we put in has moved very slightly. That only had about 12" of ballest then bed on concrete
We dug out too much by mistake, so put down even more ballets to raise it so haven't an issue with the patio, but the small path we put in has moved very slightly. That only had about 12" of ballest then bed on concrete
Edited by Byker28i on Saturday 22 August 11:41
Byker28i said:
Are you on clay soil? We've had so long of hot dry weather the clay base has shrunk, causing all sorts of problems for some people where I live
We dug out too much by mistake, so put down even more ballets to raise it so haven't an issue with the patio, but the small path we put in has moved very slightly. That only had about 12" of ballest then bed on concrete
Yes clay soil, south facing. We dug out too much by mistake, so put down even more ballets to raise it so haven't an issue with the patio, but the small path we put in has moved very slightly. That only had about 12" of ballest then bed on concrete
Edited by Byker28i on Saturday 22 August 11:41
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