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Re-using ceramic floor tile

jeffsc | Posted in General Discussion on November 5, 2003 04:07am

I would like to re-use ceramic floor tile for an outside screened in deck area (wood-frame deck) in upstate SC.  What would the best substrate, thinset, and grout for this project to allow for expansion/contraction of the changing temperature?  Can this be done effectively?

If you’re wondering how I have used ceramic tile… Long story short, a tile distributer informed me that the thinset would bind to the risidual blask asphaltic mastic on my wood subfloor (two layers 3/4 plywood).  A couple of years later I was wondering why the tiles were cracking.  When I removed the grout and pulled a tile, the rest of the tile pried up in whole pieces.  Thinset bound to the tile but not to the floor!!!  Hence I have 300 SF of used tile.  I’ll have to grind the bottom of the tile to rough-up before re-setting.

 

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Replies

  1. HeavyDuty | Nov 05, 2003 05:15am | #1

    >>Can this be done effectively?

    I'm afraid not. There will be too much movement on the substrate from temperature and moisture changes.

    1. User avater
      RichBeckman | Nov 06, 2003 06:06am | #2

      "There will be too much movement on the substrate from temperature and moisture changes."

      Isn't this what isolation membranes are for??

      Rich Beckman

      Another day, another tool.

      1. HeavyDuty | Nov 06, 2003 07:13am | #3

        I guess the best he could do is to put down a plywood base, isolation membrane and a thick mud bed, then thinset the tiles and hope for the best. I still don't feel comfortable because it's an external application over wood.

        Wish Boris would come along soon.

  2. DennisS | Nov 06, 2003 07:51am | #4

    Jeff -

    I don't know what value you put on your time, but cleaning up the tile in order to re-use them seems, on the surface, to be extremely labor intensive. Other than avoiding conributing material to a local land fill, I don't see the advantage of re-using the tile in what would be a questionable installation condition in the first place.

    One reply suggested using a conventional mud set bed over the wood deck. That would be the only way I'd go about it if it were my project. What size are the tile?

    ...........

    Dennis in Bellevue WA

    [email protected]

    1. jeffsc | Nov 08, 2003 03:00am | #5

      Dennis,

      The tiles are 12" and 6".  From the sound of the discussion the longevity of the project may be questionable.  I suppose if I was set on using them, the best thing would be to pour a raised slab, add a membrane, mud a set the tiles.

      I hate to throw materials away.  I'm the type who will chip mortar off old brick and remove old hardwood floors by hand and reuse them.  I've always had great results in reusing older materials and many, many complements of the outcome. 

      It's a shame so many materials go to the landfill because it's cheaper to do so. 

      Thanks for all the comments.

      Jeff

      1. AlanSenoj | Nov 08, 2003 06:00am | #6

        I'm with you on the use of materials. Sad to throw anything of value away.

        I guess it depends on the value of your labour. I cleaned a few, (maybe a half dozen) 12x12 tiles once because the tiles had gone out of production and the used ones were the only ones available to match the floor.   

        It was a lot of really ugly, soul destroying work with a 4 1/2" grinder equipped with a masonary blade, to get the thinset off the bottom of the tile.

         I tried muriatic acid first. No effect (on the 1/8" layer) that you'd notice.

        If you are going to put down a thick bed of mud, (not my choice), I wouldn't worry about the residue, but make sure the grout is all off the old tiles or you are in for a world of trouble.Alan Jones

      2. DennisS | Nov 08, 2003 07:21am | #7

        Jeff -

        12x12 or even 6x6 makes sense to try to re-use them if possible. But if the old thinset is sound on the back of them, I wouldn't spend a lot of time trying to get it off. Just float a drypack bed at a grade low enough to accomodate the thickest piece you have (with the most thinset on it) and set them indivudually adding a little drypack here and there to make up the difference in thickness. Then again, if the thinset is fairly uniform on the backs of the tile, you might be able to just beat them in level into a good drypack bed. Try for at least 1 1/2" of setting bed, only for the reason this will give you more room for compaction and leveling of the tiles when you beat them in.

        ...........

        Dennis in Bellevue WA

        [email protected]

      3. kostello | Nov 08, 2003 11:44am | #8

        i always save and try to reuse old materials.

        you should see my garden.

        i know the economics are questionable but why throw the stuff away just to go and by some more??????

        EG: took achimney out of my house. saved abotu 400 bricks.

        used them on a job.

        now to buy them new would have been about £100

        the time it takes to clean them, stack them , move them etc... probably more than £100 but it makes me feel better.

        aleks

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