Ceramic Tile Soft Joints

Also known as soft joints.

Ceramic tile soft joints.

If using soft joints or the plastic edged preformed strips then there is no little edge protection for the tiles which could result in damage to the tile edges in heavy trafficked areas especially if wheeled over. Some manufacturers of products meeting american national standards institute ansi a118 12 specification for crack isolation membranes for thin set ceramic tile and dimension stone installations allow their membrane to cover non structural movement joints i e. Simply put a movement joint is a gap or space next to a tile that lets a tile floor move a bit. The use to which the floor is to be put needs considering.

Movement joints are an integral part of any tile assembly and must be incorporated within the tile field at doorsills and at transitions to walls and other restraining structures to allow movement of the assembly and prevent stresses that can damage the system. But you can follow the pattern through from one side to the other as long as it s a continuous bead. Water damage restoration clean up checklist. These expansion joints prevent dirt and grit filling the space as well as providing a more aesthetically suitable solution.

How to deal with flooded tile installations. However tcna does not recommend this. Perimeter and field movement joints. Cement backer board for example is an excellent base for ceramic tile when the board is properly installed but movement joints must still be provided.

Okay maybe later a soft joint or control joint is simply one grout line all the way down the length of your installation that is filled with colored silicone or caulk rather than grout. Expansions or soft joints are period joints composed of latex caulking that expands and contracts when exposed to moisture or temperature extremes. The purpose of a soft joint is to allow movement in your installation without cracking tiles or grout. There are two kinds of movement joints.

Schluter systems prefabricated movement joint profiles protect tile edges and prevent sound bridges and surface water penetration resulting in a permanent maintenance free installation. Different kinds of environments demand different types of joints. For wall and floor tiles the joints are usually filled with a flexible rubber. Various tiling membranes both sheet and semi liquid can improve longevity of tiled floors over any substrate but every manufacturer of such membranes will specify that movement joints be employed.

The best and proper way to run a soft joint is to cut the tile so you have a straight line for the joint. The wider ones will usually incorporate a cover slip into their design.