There are numerous reasons why tile might crack, rarely because of the tile. Usually problems are beneath the tile. And at that many times how it was installed and what what products were used during the installation.

Tile Problems to Watch For

Not all tile is created equal. It could be possible that your tile cracked because it is substandard and not rated for the minimum 250 pounds of pressure. When purchasing tile, choose to purchase it from reputable online dealers or brick and mortar locations. These dealers are more likely to sell tile that has been tested according to ANSI and ASTM standards.

Cracks Forming Under the Tile

Installing tile over a control joint in a concrete slab can result in straight line cracks. If the joists under your sub floor are improperly spaced, it could cause your floor tile to bend, which it definitely isn’t supposed to do. If the concrete below your tile has cracked, it can create a reflective crack, which is long and continuous and runs over several tiles. All of these scenarios can be prevented by proper installation using proper materials. But even at that, sometimes you still just end up with a broken tile!

Fixing a Broken Tile

It’s always a good idea to keep a few leftover tiles from your tiling job to use as a spare if a tile cracks, most professional installers will leave you some. This way you have a matching tile on hand instead of trying to locate an exact match, (which can be nearly impossible considering even the same tiles are manufactured in lots, and don't always match one another perfectly!).

• Chisel the grout out from around the tile
• Remove the tile pieces
• Scrape away the old adhesive
• Apply a new layer of adhesive
• Install your new tile

Tile Tools HQ has everything you need to remove and replace your cracked tile.