Ceramic Tile Lippage Standards

The ansi a108 02 standards say that acceptable lippage for floor tiles with a grout joint width of 1 16 to less than 1 4 is 1 32 plus the allowable inherent warpage of the tile.

Ceramic tile lippage standards.

For your tile size and joint width presuming no offset the maximum allowable difference in elevation between tiles lippage is 1 32nd of an inch in addition to the inherent warpage of the individual tiles. When excessive this can lead to numerous problems ranging from chipped edges to snagged furnishings and appliances to safety hazards. Long narrow tiles are used. This is assuming that the warpage of the tile is within the standard s acceptable range for that type of tile.

The allowance for such warpage is also spelled out in a137 1 and would apply if your tiles are advertised as meeting that standard. Rectangular tiles are harder to lay flat. American national standards institute ansi a108 02 2013 general requirements. Narrow grout joints may look pleasing to the eyes but it increases the chance of tile lippage.

Some types of tiles also curve as much as 0 5 the length of the tile such as polished porcelain tiles. The standards state that a tile with a grout joint that is less than wide can have 1 32 of lippage in addition of what the actual warpage is of the tile being installed. To address this on a practical basis some manufacturers recommend against any patterns with offsets in excess of 33 if the tile being used has an edge larger than 18 inches. Materials environmental and workmanship section 4 3 7 lippage guidelines explanation and caution deals with what is allowable ceramic tile lippage and how to avoid excessive lippage.

They are telling me it is within the standard based on the tile warpage. For large tiles exhibiting the maximum allowable warpage 50 offsets are guaranteed to exhibit lippage. When the specification for ceramic tile american national standard was first revised in 1988 large format tiles were 8 in by 8 in and 12 in by 12 in. Too narrow grout joints.

This is defined in the ansi american national standards institute standard a108 02 section 4 3 7. Variation in the height of adjoining tiles is called lippage. There are tolerances for tile lippage. It states for grout joints that are less than 6 mm 1 4 in wide.

Some joints are 1 8 others are 5 8 with a lot of lippage some even at 6 credit cards deep. Lippage is the vertical displacement between two adjacent tiles of a ceramic glass or stone installation. I just had a complete remodel of my bathroom contractors are using 12 x 24 porcelain tiles. A bad batch of tiles tends to show lippage more.