Ceramic Tile Expansion Joint Detail

The family of schluter dilex prefabricated movement profiles includes a variety of shapes sizes and materials to suit different applications.

Ceramic tile expansion joint detail.

For ceramic glass and stone tile installation provides a very detailed explanation of the requirements and necessity for expansion joint construct design and placement. Consult tcna handbook for ceramic glass and stone tile installation detail ej171 for this vital information. Over any isolation or control joints in the concrete. Every tile job needs expansion joints also known as movement joints they are critical to the success and longevity of the tile installation.

Where should movement joints be placed. For installation of tile the tile ends at each control joint and the gap if filled with caulk rather than grout. It s quite common to see controlled breaks in concrete and those are usually expansion joints. The tcna handbook recommends allowing for expansion and contraction in every tile installation.

Control joints are there because it s not a question of if the slab will crack but rather when the slab cracks it hopefully happens at the joint. If you tile over an expansion joint then you need to honor that joint in the tile as well. Schluter systems prefabricated movement joint profiles protect tile edges and prevent sound bridges and surface water penetration resulting in a permanent maintenance free installation. It is important to note this detail for both ceramic tile and stone applications recommends a movement joint be placed at one or both ends of the tile bridging the underlying crack as recommended by the membrane manufacturer.

Anywhere tile meets a vertical surface like steps or the foundation of your house. Locate ctc joint in tile or stone surfaces directly above joints in sub floor full length may be fastened to sub floor using a construction adhesive trowel setting material making sure there is full coverage over the entire leg to ensure a smooth transition mortar bed may be feathered off both sides of joint. The short answer is that you do not span control expansion joints with the tile. A movement joint is in the tile only.

It allows for movement in the tile. Too many tile. Here s where to put expansion joints. An expansion joint is a strip of flexible material in this case caulk that lets tile expand and contract with changes in temperature.

Recognizing that tile is a facade movement joints are needed to eliminate stresses that can occur between the substrate and the tile due to differing amounts of expansion and contraction. An expansion joint is in the substrate for instance in concrete.