Tile over crack where foundation meets basement floor?

[Yakdaddy]

I've purchased 16 inch ceramic tiles. The majority of my project will not be an issue. However, I want to tile over a concrete basement area where the floor meets the foundation wall. There is obviously a small crack where the floor and the foundation wall meet.

The area seems very level, should I be concerned laying tile across this crack? I don't want the tile to crack in the future because of movement.

In this area would I be smarter to lay carpet or laminate?

Any thoughts?

[Tool Guy - Kg]

Welcome to the forum.

Originally Posted by Yakdaddy

...small crack where the floor and the foundation wall meet

That makes it sound like it's the corner, but...

Originally Posted by Yakdaddy

...laying tile across this crack?

That makes it sound like it's a crack somewhere out in the floor. Can you clarify, please? Feel free to post a picture.

[Yakdaddy]

I should clarify, it's not really a crack, just the space where the foundation wall and poured concrete floor meet. To simplify I will call it a crack.

The crack runs about 11 feet along an inside wall. It looks like the foundation was poured, the house built, then the basement floor poured level with the foundation wall.

The house is about 6 years old. The floor and crack are level and I won't have problems laying tile over it. I'm concerned the foundation wall or floor would shift and break the tile laying over the crack.

Should I be concerned or would you guess shifting would have taken place by now and I won't have issues?

I'll work on the picture.

[Davy]

Sounds like you have a cold joint where the two slabs come together. I would apply a paint on membrane over the area and then make sure there is a grout joint in the tile directly over the cold joint, then use a caulk that matches your grout in that tile joint.

[Tool Guy - Kg]

...or...
Kind of sounds like you're talking about your slab being poured flush with the top of your foundation wall's "footer". That doesn't exactly make sense, but I think that picture you're working on will help.

[Yakdaddy]

This is a foundation wall from a walkout basement. This is an outside wall where a door would be. I hope the picture helps, the wall does not quite cover the crack of where the foundation would meet the poured concrete floor.

I don't want to lay tile over this crack and have it split in the future. I may just carpet this room as I need to carpet the stairs anyway.

I hope the picture helps, thoughts?

[cx]

Welcome, Yakdaddy. Please change that permanent signature line to a first name for us to use.

That's a pretty common method of basement construction and that joint is likely to be even more mobile than a construction joint in a slab on grade just because there is generally no attachment at all between the slab and the foundation.

I would say you'd need to honor the joint in the tile layour directly above the joint regardless what crack isolation method you might employ. Manufacturers might not agree with that.

If the size of the strip between slab and wall is sufficiently consistent, you might be able to plan a tile border all around the room and make it look presentable.

My opinion; worth price charged.

[HooKooDoo Ku]

Couple of ideas:

1. Build the wall out so that the floor doesn't include the crack section. You might only have to lay 1x2 strips flat on the wall and drywall over that.

2. Make sure a tile joint is at the floor joint. If the grout there cracks, you can remove the grout and replace it with a color match silicon.

3. Don't attach the tile to the floor on the wall side of the joint (would allow the floor to shift under the tile). But this will only work if the room is laid out in such a way that no one would ever step on the unsupported section of the tile.

[Davy]

I have to disagree with our friend, Joseph on number 3. No way would I leave 4-5 inches of tile unbonded along the wall. Even unbonded, it will crack if there's any vertical movement in the concrete next to the wall. Same thing with a membrane and thinset but at least the tile won't break if someone steps on it or something is dropped.