Tile Over Hardwood Subfloor

Trowel on a thin layer of thinset mortar over the.

Tile over hardwood subfloor.

If installing over an appropriate wood surface sand the wood to make it smoother and remember that the installation will work better over a subfloor at least 1 1 8 inches thick. How to install vinyl tiles over a wood floor sand the wood floor make sure it s thoroughly clean and dry until it s as smooth and even as possible with no bumps. If the hardwood flooring is composed of narrow boards with a very smooth flat surface you could leave the flooring in place and screw cement backer board down on top of it before applying the tile. Fill seams in the subfloor with caulk.

Floor tiles usually should be laid over a strong underlayment of cement board or treated plywood. According to backer board manufacturers and tile setters installing backer board directly over an old solid wood subfloor is risky for a couple of reasons. Tape off any affected vents with painter s tape. Second the strength of wood boards isn t always consistent.

Cut the backerboard to fit the edges. A couple options considered are. You shouldn t tile directly over hardwood flooring since it can expand contract and cup due to seasonal changes in temperature and humidity. Lay down 1 2 inch thick cement backerboard over the wood subfloor or hardwood.

Uncoupling membranes aren t recommended for tiles smaller than 2 inches square and should not be used when covering old hardwood flooring due to adhesion problems. A 3 4 inch plywood subfloor on a joist structure with 24 inch spacing needs the extra thickness of cementboard or the floor will flex and the tiles will crack. Still you may need to tile directly over an existing hardwood floor for instance to avoid raising the floor level significantly relative to an adjacent floor. However if it s still somewhat rough bumpy or.

First changes in humidity make solid wood shrink swell and cup more than plywood. If so make sure the floor is solid and well sealed. If the tile is being installed in a bathroom consider applying an isolation membrane over your wood subfloor to further protect against expansion and contraction. If your wood subfloor is smooth and even you can progress to step 3.

Roll on a layer of latex primer sealer. Use intervening layers of two sheets of plywood. Apply fiberglass tape to each seam in the backerboard to cover it. Use thinset with a higher latex content thinset is the wet base that you first trowel on the plywood to make the tile stick.

Install 1 4 inch cork by thin setting it to the concrete pad then installing the heating system by fastening it to. While tile can be laid on plywood do not install tile directly onto the plywood subfloor itself. Lay down a vapour barrier overtop the concrete pad then fasten 3 4 inch plywood using a ramset to the concrete pad. Check for dips in the floor by sliding a 4 foot to 6 foot straight edge in different directions all around the room.