What is tile tenting?

Tile tenting is when your floor tiles lift from their originally installed position and begin to push against one another, creating a ‘tent-like’ bump in the middle of your floor. Not only is this an unattractive addition to your tiled floor, it is also quite dangerous as tiles may shatter underfoot causing considerable harm.

Tile tenting is caused by changes in the environment in which the tiles are laid. Any structural changes such as substrate shrinkage or expansion of structural elements in your household i.e. doorways, walls etc. can cause your tiles to lift and separate from the tile bed. The pressure built up on the tile and grout will eventually cause the tile to protrude upwards to absorb that pressure. You will often hear a loud ‘crack’ somewhere in the house which is a tell-tale sign of a tile that is tenting.

Often tile tenting is not a single occurrence and can quickly affect large areas, rendering your entire floor unusable.
How can I prevent tile tenting?

Often tenting occurs in areas exposed to high levels of sunlight or moisture and without the proper installation of expansion/movement joints these areas can quickly fall victim to tenting.

Install Expansion Joints- An expansion (or movement) joint is designed to eliminate stress on tiles due to foundational movement or changes by allowing ‘breathing space’ for the tiles to move and adapt should the foundation alter in any way.

Use smaller, lighter tiles- Large, dark coloured tiles absorb a lot of heat and in areas exposed to sunlight these can quickly heat up, which can accelerate the tenting process. Smaller tiles with more grout lines will allow for more flexible movement to absorb the pressure of any structural changes much more effectively.
What should I do if my tiles are ‘tenting’?

The good news is that all is not lost should you hear the dreaded ‘crack ‘in the middle of the night. If tiles are tented, often the solution is to remove all tiles in the affected area and re-tile with correct expansion joints added to ensure the issue does not arise again. However, a far cheaper and more effective method is at hand. 

The expert team at Barefoot Floors can repair your tented tiles and restore them to their original condition using their tile restoration technology. Our team will restore the tiles to their former appearance and create new expansion joints to prevent further tenting or cracking-all with a 10 year guarantee! Contact Steve directly or send us a message for more information and a free quote.