Tile is a great flooring choice for many Floridians due to its durability and ease of cleaning. However, after a little wear and tear, homeowners may find that their tile floor is uneven. An uneven floor is not only noticeable, but it’s also dangerous. Children and adults of all ages are more likely to trip and fall due to an uneven floor. Uneven floors also allow dirt and moisture to enter below the tiles, causing damage and mold buildup.
Factors that Contribute to Uneven Tile Floors
If you find that your tile is uneven, whether it be right after the contractor leaves or years after your tile was installed, there are a few reasons why this could happen. We’ve outlined the top three common reasons you have uneven tile floors.
Epoxy
Epoxy is a high-strength adhesive used to glue down flooring. When replacing tile or carpet, this adhesive needs to be removed by special equipment before installing new flooring. In some instances, a contract will smooth over the old layer with a new layer of epoxy because of how difficult it can be to completely remove epoxy.
This can ultimately ruin your new flooring and cause unevenness throughout your home. Before your contractor installs your new flooring, ask him or her about the epoxy and its risk of damaging your floors.
Initial Installation
If the job was done right, all of the floor’s joints should be even and the edges of each tile should be nice and level. Uneven tiles are often referred to as “lipping.” Lipping can also lead to chipping of the tiles where the floor between tiles is uneven. Before you hire your installation contractor, check the web for reviews in your community to lower the risk of hiring someone unqualified for the job.
Water Damage
Ceramic floor tiles are not affected by standing water, but the grout between the tiles are susceptible to water damage. Sometimes it’s easy to detect flood damage. But other times, such as a slow leaking pipe, can be harder to detect and the water can damage the grout. This causes the tiles to become loose and uneven. Not only can it cause the tiles to shift, but if the water sits too long and goes unnoticed or untouched, it can cause mold or dark staining.
The Solution to Uneven Tile Flooring
Unfortunately, the best solution to correcting uneven tile flooring is by starting from scratch. Here are the proper steps to remove your flooring so the outcome is perfectly even floors.
- Hire a floor removal contractor – trusting a floor removal company to expertly remove your tile flooring and prepare the surface below for new flooring.
- Find a reliable floor installation contractor
- Select your new flooring – new tile floor or switch to hardwood? Work with your local contractor to decide which floor is best for your needs.
Tile Removal and Surface Preparation with Speedy Floor Removal
Removing your tile floor is a timely, messy, and exhausting task. Let us do the hard work by removing your tile and eliminate your concerns of having an uneven surface underneath. Speedy Floor Removal not only provides tile removal services, but we also remove carpet, paint, hardwood flooring, and more! Contact us today to receive a free project estimate!
