How well will this tile job hold up?

keegs · Sep 25, 2010

I tiled the bathroom floor and shower surround in our Maine house this past summer and now I'm wondering how well the tile will hold up under the conditions of an unheated house. I used backer board on both surfaces, thinset on the floor and mastic in the shower and a high end grout.

Should I have installed a fiberglass surround and a vinyl floor instead?

SARG · Sep 25, 2010

I suspect it will develop problems but I'm just guessing. Temperature extremes are a bad thing with all materials.

Just for info ........ Armstrong now makes a 18" square tile in some form of vinyl called "Alterna" that simulates different types of stone, ceramic and wood flooring. We looked at an installation in a lobby that I initially thought was a slate floor and had to be shown that it was not.

It's installed using the same steps as real tile with the special spread adhesive and grouts. We are having it installed in our kitchen next week and it is about $8. per sq. ft. with a lifetime guarantee from Armstrong.

http://www.armstrong.com/flooring/vinyl-tile/alterna/floors-11439.asp

inveresk · Sep 25, 2010

I doubt you have anything to worry about. I have ceramic tile on part of our deck under cover but exposed to external weather conditions. I used adhesive and grout suitable for the exposure and it's withstood three winters without problems..

ray66v · Sep 25, 2010

I have installed ceramic tile floors in unheated, enclosed sun porches, that are exposed to extreme temperatures. Including well below zero.

I used ordinarily thinset, and backer board.

I have had no problems with them.

Travelover · Sep 25, 2010

I installed slate over plywood using an epoxy mortar in an unheated sun porch in Michigan 20 years ago. No problems yet. I think it is too soon to worry.

keegs · Sep 25, 2010

Thanks for the feedback gents...

I thought the backerboard would be a more stable base if in fact there would be issues with greater expansion/contraction with the extreme temp changes...

Time will tell I suppose.

ray66v · Sep 25, 2010

It is a good practice to use caulking where there are corners, to allow for movement.

If you did not, and cracking occurs this winter, you can always remove the grout in the corners, and replace it with caulk.

tallyho8 · Sep 27, 2010

I hate to admit it but I have never put ceramic floors down according to instructions. I put tile down in my bathroom, kitchen and living room right over the wood plank floor 30 years ago and it still looks like new and I have never had a tile crack or come loose.

It probably has a lot to do with us owning the home and being careful about how we move objects around in it. I suppose that if I had done this to one of my rental homes all the tile would have been destroyed by now.