How To Install Subfloor Porcelain Floor Tile

First changes in humidity make solid wood shrink swell and cup more than plywood.

How to install subfloor porcelain floor tile.

You ll see how to complete each step and work the required tools such as trowels manual snap cutter wet saw and tile nipper. Always follow the manufacturer s installation. This will cause either the tile itself to crack and even come loose or cause the grout to crack inside the joints. While most floor tile these days is installed onto a layer of cement board or similar backerboard it is possible to lay tile directly over plywood.

Plywood or osb flakeboard can expand and contract at too high a rate to be a stable foundation for tile. 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. But a number of precautions must be taken to ensure a successful installation. Installing ceramic floor tile to a plywood sub floor has unique challenges beyond that of installation on a concrete floor.

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. 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. I m often asked by homeowners if it s possible to lay down new tile over an existing tile floor. A number of different types of substrate are used for tile including plywood.

This is not my favorite way to install tile but it can be done as long as the existing tile and subfloor are in good condition and the old tile is thoroughly cleaned and scuffed up with sandpaper to allow the new mortar to grip.