By Barry Stone
Dear Barry,
We've got a new home under construction and have noticed cracks in the slab, right where the ceramic tile floor is to be installed. We're concerned that these cracks could affect the tiles. Is there anything we can do about this? --Michael
Dear Michael,
In most cases, common hairline stress cracks are not structural in nature, but they can still have an adverse effect on ceramic tile flooring. Slab cracks are generally not static fractures but tend to be subtly in motion, opening and closing with seasonal changes in temperature and moisture. To prevent resultant damage to tiles flooring, your tile contractor should install a slip-sheet on the slab prior to laying the tiles. This is a specialized fabric that is laminated to the slab surface, allowing slight movement at cracks while preventing adverse affects to the tiles.
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