Ceramic Tile Subfloor Options

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.

Ceramic tile subfloor options.

We took up old ceramic tile original with a 20 year old house and found no cement board or other underlayment material underneath. Oriented strand board osb and other porous manufactured boards are not recommended for the subfloor because they absorb moisture and will expand and contract. A number of trowel able and pourable tile underlayment options are available each with its own purpose and best use. 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.

For this reason ceramic and porcelain tile floors can be considered somewhat delicate despite the inherent strength of the material. This tile is composed of sand which is fired at high temperature and pressure. Since it isn t porous porcelain tile is more water resistant and harder than ceramic but it is harder to cut. You have a number of choices when it comes to the ideal underlayment for ceramic tiles.

When installing a tile floor a layer of cement backer board is usually put down over a plywood subfloor to provide a firm stable surface. For ceramic tile the tile council recommends using joists that are 16 inches on center a 3 4 inch thick plywood subfloor and a 1 2 inch thick cement backer board or concrete slab. However i did find that the previous installer had put another sheet of 1 2 plywood over the 3 4 inch plywood subfloor. Manufactured in the usa the basement subfloor tile is designed to create a floating underlayment base providing a barrier separating the concrete and the finished floor.

Ceramic tiles are very strong but when they re installed on a surface that isn t sturdy and rigid you ll end up with cracked grout joints and broken tiles ruining the look and water resistance of the floor. 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.