Guides · Western Australia
Tiling defects and drummy tiles: what AS 3958:2023 says
Tiles are the finish you look at and walk on every day, so tiling defects are easy to see but surprisingly easy to argue about. Measurements settle most of those arguments.
General information, not legal advice — check current requirements with the Building and Energy / Building Commission or a lawyer.
The standard and the WA guide
The Australian Standard for laying tiles is AS 3958:2023, “Installation of ceramic and stone tiles”, which has an Amendment 1 published in 2024. It covers preparing the surface, bedding and fixing tiles, grouting and related work. We do not reproduce its text here: Australian Standards are copyright and sold separately.
In WA, most tiling disputes are argued with the Western Australia Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2019. It is an advisory guide, not law, and your contract and the building code take precedence over it. It says that, unless documented otherwise, tiling work and materials are defective if they do not comply with AS 3958.1 and AS 3958.2 — the earlier tiling standards — or the manufacturer’s installation instructions (clause 12.01).
Who is responsible depends on who supplied the tiles
- Builder supplies and lays: failure of the tiles, substrate, adhesive or grout is defective (clause 12.02).
- Owner supplies, builder lays: faulty installation caused by the builder’s workmanship is defective; faults in the tiles themselves are the owner’s, unless they should have been apparent to the builder when laying and were not pointed out (clause 12.03).
- Owner supplies and lays: the owner is responsible for checking the substrate and for failures (clause 12.04).
- Any case: the builder is responsible for tiling that fails because of defective framing or slab work, even if the builder did not lay the tiles (clause 12.01).
The WA tolerances that come up most
- Cracked, chipped or loose tiles. Defective if present at handover, and defective if they become cracked or loose within 24 months because of the builder’s workmanship. Jagged or flaked cut edges are defective (clause 12.05).
- Lippage (stepping). Over 2 mm between adjacent tiles is defective; over 1.5 mm for tiles ground flat such as polished tiles; and no more than 1 mm where joints are 3 mm or less (clause 12.09).
- Flatness. The finished surface should be flat and true to within ±4 mm in 2 m, measured with a straightedge (clause 12.09).
- Grout. Should be uniform in colour and smooth, without voids or pinholes; grout that comes loose within 24 months of handover is defective (clause 12.06).
- Movement joints. Large tiled floors need intermediate movement joints at roughly 4.5 m centres — internal floors over 9 m in any direction (6 m in sunlight) and external floors over 4.5 m (clause 12.10).
The Guide also accepts that some lippage is unavoidable, for example where tiles larger than 150 mm × 150 mm are graded to a floor waste without transverse cuts. Knowing the exceptions makes your schedule more credible, not less.
Drummy tiles: how to test and record them
- 1Tap gently and systematically. Use something light, such as the handle of a screwdriver, and work in a grid. A solid knock and a hollow note are easy to tell apart.
- 2Mark the hollow areas. Use low-tack tape on the tile — not a marker — and photograph the pattern from standing height with the room visible.
- 3Record a short video. Tapping a solid tile then a hollow one, with the sound, is clearer than any description.
- 4Note cracks and movement. Cracked grout, cracked tiles or tiles that move underfoot change a drummy tile from a concern into evidence of failure.
- 5Re-check over time. Repeat the test every few months on the same grid. A hollow area that is spreading matters.
You will find adhesive-coverage percentages quoted for drummy tiles online. We have not reproduced a figure here because we could not check it against the current standard’s text — ask your inspector, or read AS 3958:2023 itself, before you rely on one.
Tiling in showers is often part of the waterproofing system — see our waterproofing guide. To list items properly, use a Scott Schedule.
Frequently asked questions
What does “drummy” mean?
A drummy tile sounds hollow when tapped, instead of giving a solid knock. It usually means the tile is not fully bonded to the surface underneath. It may still be firmly attached, or it may be on its way to cracking or coming loose.
Are drummy tiles a defect in WA?
It depends on what is happening to the tile. The WA Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2019 does not use the word “drummy”, but it says tiles that are cracked or loose at handover are defective, and that tiles which become loose or cracked within 24 months because of the builder’s workmanship are defective. A qualified tiler or inspector can assess the extent and cause.
How much lippage between tiles is allowed in WA?
The WA Guide (clause 12.09) says lippage between two adjacent tiles over 2 mm is defective; for tiles ground flat, such as polished tiles, over 1.5 mm; and for joints of 3 mm or less it should not exceed 1 mm. Overall, the tiled surface should be flat to within ±4 mm in 2 m.
Which edition of the tiling standard applies?
AS 3958:2023, “Installation of ceramic and stone tiles”, is the current edition, with Amendment 1 published in 2024. The WA Guide 2019 refers to the earlier AS 3958.1 and AS 3958.2. Which edition applies to your job usually depends on when the work was contracted and done, so check before you cite one.
Keep your defect record in one place
Defend My Build keeps each defect’s photos, location and notes together in one project, and lays the list out as a Scott Schedule you can export to CSV. There is a free plan.
Sources checked for this page
Last reviewed 2026-10-13. Requirements change — check the current version of each source.
Related guides
General information, not legal advice — check current requirements with the Building and Energy / Building Commission or a lawyer.