Has anyone ever heard of laying down ceramic tile over vinyl tiles? What about over linoleum?
Thanks,
Dalex
Has anyone ever heard of laying down ceramic tile over vinyl tiles? What about over linoleum?
Thanks,
Dalex
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Replies
Yes. It happens. Not the best solution. But ... the sheetvinyl can act as a crack isolationn membrane. Sometimes if the old flooring is asbestos tiles, the best thing to do is to lay over the top without removing them. If the old vinyl is loose or peeling or in otherwise bad shape, it's best to remove it.
What's your situation? Why do you ask?
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Thanks for the reply.
I am new to the tile laying world and am trying to collect facts on "best practices".
Currently beneath the vinyl tile is plywood. I'm trying to determine if it is worth removing the old tile first. It sounds like (from yourself and others I have spoken to) agree that I should lean toward removing the vinyl first.
Thanks again.
If it's nbot asbestos, you need to at least try to pull it up.
Now, as to the plywood. How thick? And the floor joists ... do you know what size they are, and the spacing and span? Good practice is to install a layer of cement board (like Hardiebacker) over the ply to provide a good bonding surface for the tile. But plain ply was used successfully for many years. There are other options too. Part of it depends on the tile you are laying. Porcelain is strong and forgiving. Natural stone requires a better structure.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Eddie has given you some good info, but this has been discussed many times before.
Try using the search funcion at the bottom of the page......
When in doubt, get a bigger hammer!
Thanks for the replies (they are valued).
I have made the decision to remove the vinyl based on feedback (completed yesterday).
Now I am ready to lay down the tile.
Should I "clean" the plywood prior to laying down the tile? What I mean by clean is, other than ensuring all debris is completely removed, should I run a damp mop over it? I ask because a) after removing the original vinyl tile, I am finding the plywood to be very sticky (which is most likely remaining adhesive) and b) I'm thinking that clean and dry plywood would be a good prepetory step before laying down the tile.
Also, if someone has a favoritive bonding agent they want to reccomend to glue the tile, I will weigh your suggetion heavily.
Thanks,
Yes, you can, but....Don't thinset the tile to the plywood or the vinyl. Use a membrane over the vinyl or plywood. A "membrane" could be as simple as a quarter inch backer board, nested in unmodified thinset, or something fancy like Ditra.Regards, Scooter"I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow." WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
Hi FastEddie...hope all is going well with your first tile job. I was in your shoes a number of years ago and someone here pointed me to http://www.johnbridge.com for my tile research. It's worth checking out, you can search the archives for just about any tile related questions and find top drawer advice.
As for bonding products, the Custom Building or Mapei products seem to work well. Check out http://www.custombuildingproducts.com for more info and read up on MasterBlend or Flexbond. They also have a great 1-800 # for technical questions such as the ones you have.
Just remember, your tile job will be only as good as your substrate. One writer had indicated using Schluter Ditra which is a great product but can be a bit challenging to work with for the first time. How thick is the existing sub floor? Have you screwed it down well?
Let us know how you make out and please don't hesitate to search the Breaktime archives or the John Bridge website.
Good luck,
Mike
C'mon Mikey, pay attention. It's not my first tile job. Here's a bathroom floor I just finished. 4 and 6 inch tumbled limestone/travertine with 1" glass decos in various shades of brown at the intersections.
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"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Edited 10/10/2005 7:39 pm ET by FastEddie
Yikes! Sorry F.E. that post was for Dalex..........but you knew that I'm sure.
Mike
Why has nobody addressed existing sub floor conditions or L/360 issues? Hate to see somebody do a smack up tile job to find their grout cracking a few months later.
We were waiting for you to bring it up. What took you so long?
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
"I am new to the tile laying world and am trying to collect facts on "best practices"...
Since it's been so long since you 'experienced' folk did your first tile job and some of your memories might not be as sharp... I thought it might be prudent to mention the sub-floor to somebody who is trying to learn best practises and is clearly new to this field.
Dalex - is your existing sub-floor beefy enough to properly support the new tile? Is there any flex or bounce? What is the span of the room you are tiling?
Mike
Dalex ... do you have a height problem? Some people need to keep the floor thickness as low as possible, sometimes it's ok to add another 1/2". If you must stay low (like to match another floor) then yes you could time right over the old goop. However, it would be better if you installed a layer of Ditra or 1/4" Hardiebacker.
Home Depot sells Custom brand thinset, and it's a good product. Get the latex modified version. Lowes sells Mapei, and it is also good. It would be best if you did not use a goopy mastic like was used for the vinyl. Some of the bozos in HD and Lowes will try to convince rookies that the mastic is a great idea, but it's not.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Been there, done that - DON'T DO IT! Of if you try it, do something to help the thinset adhere to the vinyl, but even then don't do it. Maybe with some gavly screen nailed to the floor and a thin scratch coat of thinset as a new base. Best to remove the vinyl.
Let's not confuse the issue with facts!