Tile Over Wood Subfloor

Splits and knots create weak spots that flex and lead to cracking tile.

Tile over wood subfloor.

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. Trowel out bed of unmodified thinset over wooden subfloor. Tape joints with alkali resistant cement. However there is significant debate in the tile industry regarding the conditions necessary for a long lasting successful installation.

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. Install 1 4 inch cork by thin setting it to the concrete pad then installing the heating system by fastening it to. Tips for laying tile on plywood subfloor for flooring use intervening sheets of plywood. Prepare a wood subfloor for tile a successful tile installation project requires a level surface.

The most current ansi standards for tile installation a108 1999 specifically exclude osb. Tape over holes and. The compound must be allowed to dry completely before proceeding with tile installation which can be anywhere from 24 hours to a few days depending on the brand. Cut the backerboard to fit the edges of the room with a carbide tipped scoring tool.

Second the strength of wood boards isn t always consistent. While tile can be laid on plywood do not install tile directly onto. Check for dips in the floor by sliding a 4 foot to 6 foot straight edge in different directions all around the room. Lay down a vapour barrier overtop the concrete pad then fasten 3 4 inch plywood using a ramset to the concrete pad.

Thinset is the wet base that you first trowel on the plywood to make the tile. A couple options considered are. Lay down 1 2 inch thick cement backerboard over the wood subfloor or hardwood. Fasten hardiebacker 1 4 board with corrosion resistant screws or galvanized roofing nails 8 inches apart.

If water seeps through the tile installation to the underlayment it will not cause the wood to swell as happens with interior grade plywood. Score the surface of the board. Installing over existing tile before installing ceramic tile over the existing tile you will need to roughen the existing ceramic tile surface to produce a better grip for the new ceramic tile. Place hardiebacker in staggered pattern so no four corners meet.

If you find hollows and valleys you must fill them with a self leveling underlayment. This is not to say that tile cannot be installed reliably over an osb subfloor. Use the right.