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Ceramic Tile Subfloor

What subfloor to use with ceramic tile? It does not matter what kind of surface you will install tile onto. Your ceramic tile subfloor could be a plywood sub-floor, slabs of concrete or an old floor that already existed. Regardless of what you choose to put the tiles on, always remember to clean the surfaces before you do anything else.

Apply Over Slabs of Concrete

Over time our previous surfaces can begin to form spaces, voids or cracks. This is especially true if you plan to add a bond directly onto your cement slab. Later on the trouble with your floors can become a bigger issue if you do not take care of problems immediately. 

At your local retailer or home improvement store, it is easy to find a full variety of products that claim that they will suppress any cracks that form. If you have a crack that is different in height, you may need to get a professional to your home to help you with your project.

Install On a Plywood Sub Floor 

A wooden frame will have to be strong enough to give your structure support during an installation project. Tiles can be extremely heavy, so they need a solid area that they can lay on. If you put the ceramic tiles on a support structure that moves and bends, you will end up with smashed, cracked, chipped or otherwise broken tiles.

You need to put your tiles on a surface is as flat as possible, so if you find it necessary, you can give the plywood a fine sanding to make it even smoother. The sub floor of your flooring has to be 1 1/8” at a minimum when you mix it with any plywood surfaces. 

Particle board and low quality plywood such as interior grade varieties should not be used as they do not have the strength to give you the proper support.

Install Over a Ceramic Tile Subfloor

If you have a ceramic tile sub floor already down, you can leave it where it is and work directly on it or you can use a hammer to rip up the ceramic subfloor that already is exists. If a mortar bed already exists below the ceramic tile subfloor, it can be difficult to life the tiles from the subfloor without taking a good bit of the mortar with it. 

Taking the tiles off the mortar bed without causing damage can be done and if you find that the mortar bed is not flat enough, use a thin set but get rid of any high spots that you notice before anything else. 

If you decide to go with the option of putting down new tiles on top of your ceramic tile subfloor, make sure that the two sets of tiles will not stop a door, drawer or cabinet from opening. The duel ceramic tiles can be too high and it will cause you problems later. Especially if you realize that your now locked in the newly tiles room because the door is tiled closed.

Install On a Vinyl Floor

When a vinyl is installed on floors, they are typically glued down on the surface to prevent it from moving and potentially causing a fall. You will need to get rid of the glue when you are pulling up the vinyl flooring.

Depending on the glue and the length of time that the vinyl was applied, it may be easier to get a Hardibacker, which is a backerboard, and have that installed over the vinyl. 

When you get into the situations where you pulled up the vinyl flooring but not the glue, you should consider a special thin set that manufacture can recommend.

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