Install Tile Floor On Subfloor

Tile can be installed over a plywood substrate and it is actually a fantastic way to make sure you don t have deflection in your floor.

Install tile floor on subfloor.

Tile floors are heavy and tile is a hard material. Plywood or osb flakeboard can expand and contract at too high a rate to be a stable foundation for tile. This will cause either the tile itself to crack and even come loose or cause the grout to crack inside the joints. Concrete expands and contracts and that type of movement can also crack the tiles and the grout.

Installing ceramic floor tile to a plywood sub floor has unique challenges beyond that of installation on a concrete floor. I d put 1 2 plywood down to level the two floors before installing tile. When installing a ceramic tile floor on a concrete subfloor you don t have to worry about flexing as long as the concrete slab is at least 1 1 8 inch thick which most slabs are. If the existing subfloor is a slab you would need to attach the plywood down with mastic then shoot fasteners into the slab to hold the sheets in place.

It should be clean dry and flat. Measure the area to ensure you have enough tile. A plywood subfloor must be structurally sound and able to support the installation. Additionally a steps must be taken to ensure that a concrete floor will create a solid bond.

To prepare your concrete subfloor make sure that it can accept water penetration. It will break or dislodge if the surface bends under the load. However you re not out of the woods. Hope you didn t like your beautiful new tile floor.

As with a wooden subfloor a concrete subfloor must be level for successful tile installation. Cement backer board can provide a solid flat surface to install tiles on if you have a wood subfloor. Try laying tile over 1 2 durock or hardie and see what happens when the joists are 19 2 or 24 on center. Laying tile on plywood.

Test by sprinkling water on various areas of the subfloor.