Subfloor Prep For Tile

This guide will show you how to prepare your subfloor for a tile installation project to ensure that it s fit to support ceramic or porcelain tile.

Subfloor prep for tile.

It will break or dislodge if the surface bends under the load. The house is 25 years old and this is the original tile. Proper preparation of the subfloor is critical to the success of your ceramic tile installation. Because of issues of moisture movement and adhesion ceramic tile will work well with certain types of subfloor underlayment systems and can go dramatically wrong with other subfloor materials.

A plywood subfloor must be structurally sound and able to support the installation. Preparing a subfloor is an essential step for installing floor tile it provides a level surface that will allow the tiles to properly stay in place. Wood building materials contract and expand at different rates from natural humidity and exposure. For this reason ceramic and porcelain tile floors can be considered somewhat delicate despite the inherent strength of the material.

Laying tile on plywood. The subfloor must be free of moisture damage including rot and sponginess and must be securely fastened to the joists and squeak free don t lay tiles on a concrete slab with cracks that appear to be spreading or irregularities that prevent you from leveling it. Peel and stick tile has come a long way since the days when it was a cheap and easy if not very attractive way to give old floors new life. In this video learn how to prepare a wood or concrete subfloor for tile including such steps as checking for dips installing backerboard applying primer and thinset pouring liquid underlayment and when to use osb or exterior grade plywood.

Durable tile floors look sophisticated and are great for wet areas. How to prepare a floor for peel stick tile. Tile floors are heavy and tile is a hard material. Cement backer board can provide a solid flat surface to install tiles on if you have a wood subfloor.