Tiled deck or patio – loose tiles

Causes

Incorrect adhesive used; poorly applied adhesive to tiles

Substrate deflection

Tiles may have been loose laid or supported on proprietary legs or supports 

Common

Listed under: Exterior, adhesives and sealants, adhesives, finishes, tiles, concrete tiles, decks, framing, patios

Cause

Incorrect adhesive used; poorly applied adhesive to tiles

Repair

  • if the installation is relatively new, call the tiler/installer back to make the repairs –under the Building Act, from the date that building work is complete there is an automatic 12-month period for the client to identify defective work. The contractor must remedy, in a reasonable timeframe, any defects notified by the client in writing

  • homeowners can also take action for up to 10 years after building work is completed if implied warranties set out in the Building Act have not been met. Implied warranties include things such as the work being done competently and with reasonable care and skill

  • if the above points do not apply (the tiling was not done by a contractor or is very old), remove loose tiles, clean adhesive off the back and re-lay the tiles using a suitable adhesive

  • more details are available in the BRANZ book Good Practice Guide Tiling (3rd edition)

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Cause

Substrate deflection

Repair

  • if the entire deck or patio structure is relatively new and was constructed by a building contractor, see the first two points in the repair above

  • where possible, add additional framing to strengthen the substrate

  • remove loose tiles, clean adhesive off the back of tiles and re-lay tiles using a suitable adhesive

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Cause

Tiles may have been loose laid or supported on proprietary legs or supports 

Repair

  • leave tiles supported clear of the deck as is. Periodically lift some tiles to check the membrane condition
  • do not try to fix the tiles in place – some councils require that floating deck surfaces must remain removeable to allow membrane inspection

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