Squeaky floor under new porcelain tile

11 years ago

We are remodeling a small bathroom. There wasn't a squeak before the install. Now, there's a squeak that's loudest by the tub. I do see some mortar touching the tub and we are trying to scrape that out now but of course is dried solid.

Does anyone have any other suggestions of why the floor would be squeaking now? We do have some access to the floor from the basement but all the plumbing is in the way.

Appreciate any suggestions.

Featured Answer

L H
Original Author

11 years ago

Update:

Thanks for the ideas live wire. We've had SUCCESS. After scraping all the mortar out from between the tile and tub 1/8" gap, the squeak is totally gone! Thank goodness. Everything in the bathroom has come out really well so far and I was sick thinking about a brand new bathroom with a horrible squeak.

Maybe this post will help someone else in the future.

Comments (7)

live_wire_oak
11 years ago
Did you assess the deflection of the joists before beginning? Possibly reinforce those joists to be stiffer? Put down a new 3/4" subfloor? Put down cement board or a decoupling membrane on top of that? Use sanded caulk at all changes of plane between the horizontal and vertical (like your tub and any wall)?

All of that is necessary for a tile installation.
Related Professionals
Johns Creek Flooring Contractors · Kendall West Flooring Contractors · Somerset Flooring Contractors · Truckee Flooring Contractors · Countryside Carpet Dealers · Beloit General Contractors · Brighton General Contractors · Clive General Contractors · Easley General Contractors · Everett General Contractors · Oneida General Contractors · Plano General Contractors · River Edge General Contractors · Saginaw General Contractors · Summit General Contractors
brickeyee
11 years ago
"Maybe this post will help someone else in the future."

Grout does not get used at changes of plane in tile work.

Caulk does.
L H
Original Author
11 years ago
Yes, thank you. It wasn't grout up against the tub. It was just a few little bits of mortar that I had to carefully look in the 1/8" gap to even see them on the floor. I didn't mortar up to the tub but obviously I wasn't as careful as I should have been. We will caulk there as well.
deliverator
10 years ago
i'm having the same problem with a new bathroom renovation. i have an acrylic bath tub installed with the tile floor grouted right up to the bath tub side. the gap is 1/8 and i'm wondering what is the best way to remove the 60" grout line between the tub and tile. and if there is mortar up against the tub, how would that be removed?

the squeak is driving me nuts.
User
10 years ago
If you have a squeak, you have bigger problems than just grout or thinset rubbing against your tub - you have too much deflection in your floor for your tile installation.

As to removing the grout, a Dremel with a carbide grout removal bit will do the job.
cherrypi
6 years ago
Thank you all so much for enlightening us to the gap between tile and tub. As soon as my husband removed the grout, the squeak went away. It was close to a miracle that we discovered this solution!!!! And it avoided a huge problem.