Toronto Tiles

Wet floors. Wet floors, such as those found in a bathroom, exhibit similar cracking problems, but are also routinely exposed to modest amounts of water. The Tile Council of America’s Handbook specifies a variety of acceptable wet floor installation methods, including the historical method of installing tiles over a cement mortar and metal lath. First, the installer nails a metal lath or mesh directly to the subfloor. Then, the cement, or “mud bed” in industry lingo, is poured directly onto the wood subfloor and lath mesh. The mud bed follows and fills any irregularities in the subfloor. Once in place, the mud bed is allowed to set or harden and then the tiles are attached directly to it. The mud bed provides support for the tiles to prevent cracking and also protects the wood subfloor from modest amounts of water.

Shower pans. A shower pan consists of a waterproof liner filled with a mud bed. Historically, the waterproof liner was constructed of lead. Lead is very durable, but may deteriorate and leak over time. Today, a thick sheet of vinyl plastic serves as the waterproof liner. So that water does not puddle in the shower stall, the cement in the pan is sloped toward the drain. Once the cement is hard, individual tiles are attached and grout fills the spaces between them.
Leaks are a common shower pan problem. Vinyl is relatively easy to puncture before the mud bed is set, and holes in the vinyl lead to future leaks. Unfortunately, it is relatively difficult to spot a hole in the vinyl liner. Some workers do not exercise the care required to prevent such punctures. Additionally, once the mud bed is in place, punctures in the vinyl are impossible to repair.
Since water seeps through cement, water actually enters the drain at two points. Most of the water flows over the tiles and directly into the drain. However, some water penetrates the grout and cement to the waterproof liner and follows the liner to specially designed weep holes in the drainpipe.

Shower stall walls. Well-constructed tile shower walls consist of individual tiles glued to waterproof backer board with grout used to fill gaps between the tiles. Since grout is not waterproof, some water penetrates the grout to run down the face of the backer board behind the tile to the shower pan or tub. Correctly installing the waterproof backer board before the tiles are attached is the key to preventing leaks.
Since waterproof backer board is more expensive than either drywall or mildew resistant wallboard, some builders and tile contractors do not use it. This common shortcut creates a potential leak problem when water gets through the tile to the board. Wet board also creates a potential mold and mildew problem, as the grout between the tiles is kept continuously wet from the damp board behind it. Replacing the grout without fixing the damp board problem may not fix the long-term problem. New grout, exposed to the same mold, mildew, and dampness that discolored the old, may soon discolor.

Dry walls. Installing tile to walls that are normally dry is relatively easy. Tile around fireplaces or kitchen backsplashes is attached directly to the drywall with special adhesives. For dry bathroom walls, tile is often attached directly to a mildew-resistant board or green board.