Ceramic Tile Deflection Calculator

Larger tiles make for a stiffer floor than smaller tiles.

Ceramic tile deflection calculator.

The tile council of america recommends that deflection be limited to l 360 l span length in inches under total load for ceramic tile. Whether you are installing stone or ceramic tile over floors and walls there s one thing to consider. If you have engineered truss or i beam type joists please do not use this calculator. Because ceramic floor tile is rigid and unforgiving it needs a structurally sound immobile base.

Deflection of bare plywood and osb comparable to the robinson l 360 deflection can be estimated by calculation but the addition of tile systems creates a stiffness change in the floor assembly that is impossible to estimate e g. Joists are almost always laid on standard spacings 12in 16in 19 2in or 24in. Ceramic tile installations require the floor areas over which tile is to be applied to have a deflection not greater that 1 360 of the span when measured under a 300 lb. Concentrated load see astm c627.

Learn more about it here. All floors deflect or move to some extent but if. However when considering deflection for tile one needs to also consider deflection between joists. Matthew the ceramic tile institute of america prefers deflection of less than l 360 and states.

Enter your floor joist information and then hit calculate deflection to find out your floor rating. The apa ews has voluntarily raised the minimum deflection of its systems to l 480 33 stiffer that conventional framing requirements for ceramic tile. It is for this reason that recommendations for floor rigidity are not based on deflection measurements but on empirically established methods found to work over normal code construction. Deflection or bounciness can cause tiles and grout to crack or come loose and the tolerance depends on what type of tile is being installed.

This calculator is designed to work with dimensional lumber only. Tile industry associations recommend special total load deflection limits the following tables list the components and weights of typical floor systems along with the deflection limits that apply. A heavy concentrated load can exceed l 360 between joists. For instance ceramic tile can withstand more deflection than natural stone.

In fact failures at l 600 have been observed. This deflection limitation differs from the l 360 deflection limit under uniform load prescribed by building codes.