Laying Tile Wood Subfloor

Second the strength of wood boards isn t always consistent.

Laying tile wood subfloor.

First changes in humidity make solid wood shrink swell and cup more than plywood. To prepare a concrete subfloor for installing tile you ll need to do a different kind of preparation. 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. If installing over an appropriate wood surface sand the wood to make it smoother and remember that the installation will work better over a subfloor at least 1 1 8 inches thick.

To prepare a wood subfloor for installing tile install a cement based backerboard following the manufacturer s instructions. Concrete expands and contracts and that type of movement can also crack the tiles and the grout. For more information download our pdf about types of subfloors. No matter how firm the subfloor.

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. Installing tile over a wood subfloor is a lot easier today than it was when i started my remodeling career. Space the field and edge fasteners correctly the top layer of plywood should be screwed down every 8 inches on the edge and every 6 inches in the field or interior section. 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.

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. When installing a ceramic tile floor on a concrete subfloor you don t have to worry about flexing as long as the concrete slab is at least 1 1 8 inch thick which most slabs are. Preparation for installing floor tile depends on the type of subfloor in the room you are tiling. The old fashioned mud method of floating a thick mortar bed in preparation for the tile has given way to using cement backer board over a plywood subfloor.

Tape over holes and cracks in the wood subfloor or slab before pouring on the self leveling tile underlayment to keep it from seeping through and leaving indentations. Use this home depot guide how to install a tile floor for more information. It supports your decorative floor finish whether it s carpet hardwood vinyl laminate or tile.