Gap Between Tiles And Wall

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Gap between tiles and wall.

When you install ceramic tile on the floor you must take care to create an expansion joint between the walls and the tiled floor. Never fill this gap with grout because tile grout is not flexible. If your gap is smaller than 1 8 inch in width use. You can try and maybe nothing will happen but if it cracks you will have to dig it out.

Your tile person will take the largest gap and run a tape line using that as the thickness or the caulk. Your walls and floors are pretty stiff but there can be movement between the two that will crack the grout. Therefore the spacing is predetermined and usually averages 3 16 to 1 4 inch. As the tiles increase in size a larger gap becomes acceptable.

Tile stores generally sell caulks that match the grout. Any gap should never be greater than 1 8 inch. Two inch tiles are factory spaced and sheet mounted. For smaller tiles is advisable to use small spacers.

Four inch tiles called 4 and a quarter in the tile trade feature built in self fitting nubs that give the tiles spacing between 1 16 and 1 8 inch wide. This will give you say a perfect 3 8 caulk line with an irregular wall to counter gap. The tile council of north america recommends at least a quarter inch gap between the tile floor and the walls. Instead fill it with an elastic material capable of sustaining the movement of the floor and the movement of the wall.

The large format 18 inch tiles should have inch space in between. The overall finish of your job really does depend on your own personal style. If you have tile on the wall adjoining the tub select a caulk that matches the color of the grout. Current trends are moving towards leaving much smaller grout lines between tiles.

Caulking is the best choice for this application. Ceramic tile wall gap back of tile should rest on finished wall.