OpenPaletteDesigns.com

Archive for January, 2012

Laying a tile floor is a challenging job, and it’s made even more challenging if your subfloor is uneven, damaged, or sloped. A foundation expert or home inspector can help you determine the condition of your foundation and joists. Any problems should be corrected before laying your tile floor.

Instructions

1. Remove existing flooring to the underlayment. Underlayment is a material that is laid over a subfloor. It protects the floor from moisture, adds rigidity and improves the smoothness and level of the floor beneath the finished floor. If your floor does not have underlayment, it should be installed before continuing the tile process.

2. Step to a corner of the room and set a tennis ball on the floor. If the ball rolls, use a marker to mark the path of the ball. Mark the subfloor so you can see the direction of the floor slope. Repeat this from each corner of the room. You now have a “map” of the dips and slopes in your floor. If your floor slopes significantly, you may have joist or foundation issues which should be fixed prior to installing a new floor.

3. Request the assistance of a foundation expert to determine the cause of a sloping floor. For an uneven or soft floor (any subfloor that flexes as you walk over it), have a home inspector examine the joists with you to determine if they have integrity problems such as wood rot, termite damage, improper blocking or construction, improper floor support or other problems causing the soft floor. You cannot install tile over a floor that flexes. The floor movement will dislodge, crack and break your tiles.

4. Install underlayment sufficient to achieve the subfloor hardness recommended for your tile floor (generally this is at least 1 inch of subfloor). Each underlayment type may have slightly different installation recommendations so follow manufacturer’s recommendations exactly for best results. Fasteners should be recessed below the surface of the underlayment. Use a power screwdriver to install the fasteners.

5. Install concrete backer board as a good bonding surface for mortar. As an alternative you can create a level mortar bed with mortar and trowel. Make sure there are no voids between the subfloor and any underlayment, backer board surface. Some situations may require a self leveling compound to correct for low spots and slope. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations exactly for best results.

6. Check your dry and clean prepared surface and once again use your tennis ball to check for slope. If the floor is close to level then you can install your tiles and make tiny level adjustments through the thickness of the mortar.

7. Install tiles by applying thinset to the prepared floor surface using a notched trowel. You may need to mix your mortar in a small tub with water. Position the tile and move it lightly from side to side to seat the tile in the mortar. Check for level and for flushness with other tiles. Use a long level across tiles to check for level while the mortar is wet. Minor changes in level can be corrected by adding or reducing mortar as you work.

Tips & Warnings

Your tile floor depends on good preparation. If you tile over voids, unlevel surfaces, slopes or other problems, these will show up at the surface. Subfloor problems are often the cause of tile floor failures. If you start with a level subfloor then you are likely to finish with a level finished tile floor.

Do not use particle board, soft plywood, lauan plywood, or composite panels that are partially wood over wood cores as underlayment. These products expand and contract with moisture and will cause tile floor failure.