Installing Floor Tile Over Concrete Slab

Treated plywood to the concrete with concrete screws spaced every 16 in.

Installing floor tile over concrete slab.

To install ceramic tile over wood the wood surface must be structurally sound enough to support the weight of the tile. Tile can contribute thermal mass to a passive solar house and to christa campbell it would make a more appealing finish floor than concrete. Laying floor tile over concrete is not a technically demanding job. Although tile can be placed directly over a concrete slab products such as schluter s ditra are designed to separate or uncouple the tile from any potential movement in the substrate and protect the tile and grout from cracking.

The ceramic tile floors shown at left were installed atop of an existing ceramic tile floor lower right and over both concrete and solid core plywood the upper floor level. Alternatively screw rows of treated 1x4s to the concrete 16 in. Yet this application does make sense since concrete is heavy solid and is typically thought of as an unbending uncompromising material. Using an acid based cleaner or deep cleaner of your choice clean the concrete and allow it to dry thoroughly.

Lay 6 mil polyethylene sheeting over the concrete to minimize moisture migration from the concrete up into the wood flooring. How to lay porcelain tile over a concrete floor. Installing over wood. Ceramic and porcelain tile are so frequently installed at or above grade level on a cement board underlayment or directly on plywood that it almost seems novel to install tile directly on concrete.

How to tile a shower over a concrete slab. Installing ceramic tiles over concrete can help to create a more inviting indoor or outdoor living space. Tile floors do not require as much care and cleaning as porcelain or fiberglass. Concrete provides one of the most stable working platforms in the world and is the preferred foundation layer for a ceramic or porcelain tile.

Step 1 preparing the concrete. Before you begin to lay the tile over your concrete slab make sure the concrete is properly prepared. 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. It can be physically strenuous and messy but it is a home improvement project that will allow you to cut labor costs by doing it yourself.