Ceramic and porcelain tile · Uneven tiles (lippage)
Why are the edges of my tiles uneven?
Lippage is a height difference between neighboring tiles. Some is allowed, depending on tile and grout joint size, but large differences can come from an uneven substrate, tile warpage or installation technique.
Also searched as: "tile edges not level", "tile lippage", "uneven tile floor"
What usually causes it
- Substrate not flat
- Warped large-format tiles
- Installation technique
What you can check yourself
- Take photos with a straightedge across the tiles
What an independent inspection checks
- Lippage measurements against ANSI allowances
- Tile warpage
- Substrate flatness
Who is responsible?
Usually installation or substrate preparation; warpage can be product-related.
Get your tile floor inspected
Tell us what you're seeing and we'll explain the next step. We cover every county in Southern California and only inspect. We don't sell or install flooring.