-mateo
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hi – i have an entryway which is approx 3 feet by 5 feet (extremely small). I would like to install unglazed ceramic hexagon tiles. Someone used the peel and stick tiles which i removed but they also added what looks to be contact cement which is quite sticky on top of a thin plywood subfloor. This is a 1885 house and even with the plywood, the floor dips very slightly in the center. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to do to make the area ready for the 1/4 inch hardibacker board? Do i install it with screws over the plywood and then use self-leveling? Or is it possible to put mortar down on top of the sticky contact cement and then the hardibacker on top of that? I have looked all over the web and have not seen anything that really applies – it is not hard and it is not black, it is clear and gooey 😮
Thanks for any advice!
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Use thinset applied with a heavy lug trowel to set your hardibacker into. Use a level as you seat it snug
Use thinset applied with a heavy lug trowel to set your hardibacker into. Use a level as you seat it snug
First use a hot air gun or torch (very carefully) to soften the glue so you can scrape off the excess. Or often a paint remover will work.
I don't see why the old adhesiove would need to be removed
Remove the thin ply
as it's probably not suitable under that tile you plan on laying.
Score the top or set a saw blade shallow and cut into pcs, or take it all up as one if you think you won't scratch up the perimeter walls/trim.
As to the dip, make sure the floor framing and subfloor will happily receive tile with either hardi on top or maybe a thicker plywood. You don't want a bunch of cracks in grout later on.
Best of luck.
Why shucks
That makes sense!
thin ply gone....
thanks for all the replies!
I removed the luaun (which was screwed down with drywall screws and glued down with liquid nails) and am now down to the original yellow pine flooring. I was able to look at the joists from the basement below where some of the plaster had been removed - and like any old house, it varies a bit. the joists are 2 inches thick, anywhere from 9.75 - 10 inches high and anywhere from 15-16 inches on center.
I don't have a huge amount of clearance with the 2 front doors and 2 inner entry doors - so at this point can i attach the 1/4 hardi backer board right to the floor - or, do i get an exterior grade piece of plywood and tile right on top of that?
Also - i checked and the floor seems flat - no more dip!
-mateo
If you are cramped for clearance.
I would certainly think plywood as my surface to set tile on.
Screw those boards down to the joist. Well, not with drywall screws-deck screws work great.
Glue and screw the ply (hopefully you can afford 1/2" in thickness) to the subfloor. Stagger joints even in a small space. And leave space for a nickle in between all the pcs.- butt ends and long edges.
Find a thinset that says - Good on Wood.
Best of luck.
mat
While piffin is correct in his thinking about the movement difference, I have had only successful installs when tile is put down on plywood correctly.
Check the Tile Council of America's details on tile to ply and also take a look at Laticrete, Mapei or some other thinset suppliers specs and details regarding this application.]
If stuck for thickness space, you can install tile to plywood. I'd opt for that method instead of sacrificing base thickness.
Best of luck.
The reason for hardi is that wood substrate moves differently than masonry with temperature and moisture variations.
A reason for addin g plywood is to increase strength to resist deflection in some cases.
I doubt the deflection is much of an issue there, but moisture could be, so I's go with the Hardi, or Ditra
If you want the best of both worlds, take up the SYP flooring, and place plywood over the subfloor with glue and screws, then the Hardi