How To Install Ceramic Floor Tile On Plywood

Installing over wood.

How to install ceramic floor tile on plywood.

A thinner subfloor will cause the floor to flex due to the weight of the tile. Backerboard does not shrink or expand when it comes into contact with water mortar and grout both contain water. To prepare the floor you ll need to lay fiberglass or cement backer board as a base then apply a leveling compound to even out any holes or divets. No matter how firm the subfloor.

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. The plywood will expand and contract at a different rate as the tile causing cracks to develop in the grout lines or tiles over time. Tile floors are an attractive functional option for kitchens bathrooms laundry rooms and entryways. Plywood or osb flakeboard can expand and contract at too high a rate to be a stable foundation for tile.

Plywood substrate alternatives. To install ceramic tile over wood the wood surface must be structurally sound enough to support the weight of the tile. This will cause either the tile itself to crack and even come loose or cause the grout to crack inside the joints. A flexing subfloor results in cracked tiles and grout and a lot of headaches.

The most suitable materials for the subfloor are concrete plywood and cement board. While you can lay tile directly over a concrete slab using thin set adhesive don t make the mistake of applying tile directly to a plywood subfloor. 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. The safest most prudent course is to install tile on top of a cement backerboard such as durock wonderboard or hardiebacker.

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. When you re ready to lay the tile you ll need to start from the exact center of the floor and lay the tile in lines toward either wall leaving a small space between each tile. Installing ceramic floor tile to a plywood sub floor has unique challenges beyond that of installation on a concrete floor. Tile can be installed over various types of subfloor.

Install ceramic tile over a subfloor that s no less than 1 1 8 inches thick. If your tile floors are worn or chipped or you re simply ready for an upgrade follow this guide to learn how to install a tile floor yourself.