Looking for something that looks good, but will last for ever and is easy to maintain? Tile might be your answer. But that’s probably no surprise. Tile is amongst the most common flooring materials used around the world. It’s usually made of clay. Most tile here has some sort of finish and may have non-organic material in to strengthen and lighten it.

Even though tile is strong and durable, there are some common issues to look out for. Cracks are probably the most common and most visible issue with tile. Cracks might be caused issues with the underlayment moving, expansion and contraction of the building, but mostly due to poor installation and damage from abuse (drops, overloading, etc.). Uneven tiles are another common issue. This is almost always an installation issue.

Although not common in modern tile, crazing (really small surface cracks) is common in older or historic tiles. These tiny, little cracks tend to attract and hold more dirt. To help prevent this, it’s important to reseal tile before dirt builds up.