How To Install Ceramic Tile Floor Over Plywood

Laying tile over a plywood subfloor can be a bit tricky but if you take the time to prepare the sub floor properly you can enjoy a new tile floor that will last for a lifetime.

How to install ceramic tile floor over plywood.

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. Installing over wood. 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. 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.

Installing a tile floor in any of these rooms will give you an easy to clean waterproof floor that holds up against weather and wear. Regular seasonal humidity shifts are significant enough to make the average 10 x 10 wood subfloor floor expand or contract as much as 1 2. As the plywood or osb expands the ceramic won t. 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.

No matter how firm the subfloor. 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. But a number of precautions must be taken to ensure a successful installation. Plywood and osb expand and contract with humidity and temperature much more than ceramic tile.

To install ceramic tile over wood the wood surface must be structurally sound enough to support the weight of the tile. Tile floors are an attractive functional option for kitchens bathrooms laundry rooms and entryways. With this patented new technique ron s friend shows us how to build a strong base and then prepare it using the tavy thin skin system so that the tile is as strong. 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.