How To Lay Tile Over A Wood Floor

First determine how much tile you will need for the job.

How to lay tile over a wood floor.

Floor tiles usually should be laid over a strong underlayment of cement board or treated plywood. Although installing tile over a wood floor is slightly more complicated than installing tile directly over concrete the project can be completed with a little bit of work and a few extra steps. Cut the backerboard to fit the edges of the room with a carbide tipped scoring tool. Sturdy and solid.

Step 1 determine how much tile you will need. Check out the basics below to get started. Installing over wood. 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.

This is not my favorite way to install tile but it can be done as long as the existing tile and subfloor are in good condition and the old tile is thoroughly cleaned and scuffed up with sandpaper to allow the new mortar to grip. By not removing the existing floor covering it is difficult to see if the subfloor is cracked rotted or otherwise is not in good condition. First changes in humidity make solid wood shrink swell and cup more than plywood. But a number of precautions must be taken to ensure a successful installation.

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. Make sure that the existing floor covering and the subfloor and any possible underlayment are sturdy enough for the installation of the vinyl flooring. While most floor tile these days is installed onto a layer of cement board or similar backerboard it is possible to lay tile directly over plywood. If so make sure the floor is solid and well sealed.

Removing floor coverings helps the installer assess the condition of the subfloor. Lay down 1 2 inch thick cement backerboard over the wood subfloor or hardwood. Chipboard cushioned vinyl flooring particle boards of any type oriented strand board osb interior grade plywood tongue and groove planking and hardwood floors are unsuitable substrates for direct installation of ceramic tile. I m often asked by homeowners if it s possible to lay down new tile over an existing tile floor.