Lippage In Tile - Causes and solutions

Laying tiles on an uneven subsurface is a common cause of lippage so tile Installers should ensure there is a good leveled subsurface before laying any tile or stone pavers. If they find that is not the case, there are products in the market to use before installation of tile that help level the surface. the rule to follow: For proper installation, larger tiles require a level tolerance of 1/4" per 10 feet. Therefor the subfloor’s level should not very more then 1/4" per 10 feet.

The size of tile greatly contributes to lippage. Small tiles are easily aligned to adjacent tiles and will adjust to an uneven grade. But, as the size of the tile increases, so does the challenge. Today 16-by-16 and 24-by-24 inch tiles are becoming more common. And as mentioned above, larger tiles are not as forgiving, which makes the preparation of the surface very important in order to reduce lippage.

The space between tiles is another contributing factor to lippage. This is especially so if you choose to lay larger tile in an offset design. Rectangular tiles are typically ground and shaped into exact dimensions. However, the grinding does not eliminate any existing warpage of the tile. In such a case a wider grout joint will minimize the appearance of lippage.

Lastly, there are tile leveling tools that can help install large-format tile in a more easily-achieved lippage-free manner. these excellent tools help keep the surfaces of tiles flush with one another during installation and also during the initial slump and shrinkage time that occurs with the most commonly used mortars.

The two best tile leveling systems in the market are proudly sold here at A2Z Sell -

The DTA Lippage Leveling System And The ATR Tile Leveling And Alignment System