Another tiling question. Any tile setters here?

[383 240z]

I put a laminate floor down in my kitchen 3 years ago, good high dollar stuff and it looks like ****. The seams allowed water to get in and make them swell. I know I need to keep the floor dry, but we had 4 dogs, and some times they have accidents while we were at work. Anyway the floor was supposed to be watertight when installed per their instructions. I did, and it didn't. GRRRR.

I talked the wife into letting me tile the floor. She was pretty leary since EVERY one of her fathers tiling projects looked great for the first year, then they started popping and cracking. Same as some of my mothers tiling jobs. I'm determined to get it right. I've done a lot of smaller projects with great success, this will be my first full room job. Actually a multi room, as the kitchen, flows into a hallway, then into my foyer.

The floor is level, however it does transition. The kitchen and hallway are made of 3/4" partical board covered with 3/4" plywood. The foyer is 3/4" partical board covered with 3/4" hardwood sadly in need of a refinish. The hardwood is of a more modern design and it not keeping with the feel of the house.

I plan on using something similar to this http://www.lowes.com/pd_90565-1813-...l=1&currentURL=?Ntt=slate+flooring&facetInfo=

Is the substructure good for what I have in mind? I know I will need to put down 1/4" wonderboard (cement board). That goes down with thinset and the correct screws. Tape all the seams with fiberglass tape then more thin set under the tiles. Sound about right?? What are your thoughts about grout? I see sanded, epoxy, diamond glass. What is right for this project?? I tried asking at the big box stores, the guy had answers, but he did not seem very confident. This is going to cost a fair amount of cash, and I REALLY dont want to do it twice. Thanks again. Keith

 

[amac70]

If the substrate is good not flexing, and the vinyl is stuck down well, just go over the top of it, no need for another layer of backer board. Just make sure the thinset you use it rated to go over the vinyl. Cut out any vinyl that is pulling up. As for the grout sanded vs non sanded is generally just a joint size thing smaller then 1/8 inch use non sanded. larger joint size use sanded. epoxy is expensive and not really necessary in a residential application. It definitely has benefits but generally don't' feel they justify the cost in a residential setting. I reserve the right to change my mind on this in the future .


i have no idea what i was reading when i thought you had put vinyl down. I may have been asleep still. Yes definitely pull up the the laminate.

 

[workhurts]

Check out johnbridge dot com ... they have more than enough information about tiling, deflection, substrate ... etc. What causes tiles to crack is movement. No way to really assess what you have without more details.

Saying just to tile over what you currently have doesn't account for much of anything in terms of deflection. You need to know how your beams support your floor and the thickness and condition of the current substrate.

 

[383 240z]

The tiles I put down are not peel and sticks. It is an interlocking type that you run a bead of glue down the mating surfaces. it is installed over a 1/8" layer of foam. This stuff. http://www.lowes.com/pd_113768-2292...&currentURL=?Ntt=laminate+flooring&facetInfo=

The joists were done well, and the underlayment is in pretty good condition, no lifting or damage.

I'll be pulling the flooring and the foam up. It's a floating system, so It should not be that hard to remove. What I'm most concerned with is keeping everything sealed and not cracking or lifting. Keith

 

[kd3pc]

I have done two, and had two done. All have had at least one or two grout cracks, which leads to tile crack if you walk on it.

My jobs were in old construction, 3/4" plywood in good shape, two layers of backer board with the proper thinset, joint tape and tons of screws. One bathroom had one spot that loosened within the year. Same job, other bathroom, downstairs bathroom and good size kitchen - not a single loose anything.

The house I am in now, new construction one year old this september, has loose tile and cracked grout in the kitchen at the transition to the hardwood (real wood) the two bathrooms are just fine. Nary a crack, same guy did all the sub floor and tile.

Obviously movement happens, but how to prevent it is a mystery to me. Grout width is blamed, but I can say not in my case, as the kitchen was wide and the baths narrow. This house 1/4" or just over.

I would lay at least one layer of 3/4" plywood (not OSB as it soaks up moisture and does not adhere to thinset correctly, you can hear it grind on some floors I redid) on top of thinset and then screw it down, then the backerboard, thinset and screw it. Leave it for a few weeks and see how it holds up.

If that looks good go for it, else find what is moving...you should see cracks or feel the looseness. Fix that before continuing, else the tile WILL loosen or crack.

 

[tnfloorman]

Screw down the existing plywood good and tight. Then install thinset under backer board. Let that set up and install tile over it. Need to make sure you have a solid base to start with or you will have cracking down the road. Be sure to use a good quality modified thinset. No need for epoxy grout, it has nothing to do with movement.