One of the most common methods for covering a building's floor is tiling. Although tiling might seem simple these days, and we often see beautiful tiles with modern designs in various parts of buildings, installing tiles requires certain techniques. If these are not followed, the visual appeal won’t last long. Preparing the floor for tile installation is the first step that must be considered before covering the floor of a building.
Covering the lowest floor is different from covering the first floor or higher floors. That’s why we decided to introduce the best method for installing floor tiles in this article. However, to do this, you need to understand the methods for preparing the floor and know what to do when tiling the floor of each part of the building.
Important Tips for Preparing the Floor for Tile Installation
Before starting tile installation, make sure to gather the necessary tools and take the required measurements. If the floor is not prepared, no matter how much effort you put into using the proper methods for tile installation, the results will not be satisfactory. Over time, the newly installed tiles might loosen and break easily. One crucial point when preparing the floor for tile installation is to familiarize yourself with the different preparation methods based on the location. To understand this better, consider the following points:
Which Floor Are You Working On?
If the surface where you plan to install the tiles is not sufficiently flat and even, the amount of adhesive required will increase, leading to higher costs and the potential for problems with the floor covering due to adhesive shrinkage. If the space between the tiles and the floor remains empty, it’s not a good sign, as even the smallest impact or pressure can cause the tiles in that area to break. If you ignore the floor’s position, your problems might increase.
If you are installing new tiles on the lowest floor of a building, you should consider moisture first. Lower floors usually have higher moisture levels, and since tiles need to be applied on a dry surface, necessary actions must be taken beforehand. Additionally, lower floors are more prone to soil settlement. So, before installing porcelain tiles or any other floor tiles, keep these points in mind.
On the other hand, installing tiles on higher floors, especially the first floor, presents other challenges because the installations of the floor below are in place. Tiling should be done carefully to avoid any damage to these installations.
What Is the Material of the Floor Where You Want to Install Tiles?
Since we are discussing floor preparation for tile installation, it’s important to know that porcelain tiles or floor tiles should always be installed on a perfectly flat layer. If the surface where the tiles are being installed is not stable and flat, the newly installed tiles might break or loosen. But how can the building floor be leveled? First, consider the material of the floor.
Sometimes tiles are installed on concrete floors, while other times, people install new tiles on old and worn-out tiles. Porcelain tiles can also be installed on multilayered vinyl floors. Therefore, it’s important to know the tricks for installing tiles on these types of flooring. It’s not always possible to install tiles on all surfaces. For example, if your surface is made of wooden planks, MDF, or particleboard, we do not recommend installing tiles on such surfaces because these boards are not waterproof and will swell over time, reducing the quality of the tiling.
Concrete Floor
The tools needed for tile installation vary depending on the surface. The installation method also differs. You must follow a series of steps to correctly adhere tiles to concrete surfaces.
First, clean the concrete surface thoroughly. If the concrete floor needs cleaning, do it.
Smooth out any uneven areas.
If you notice any cracks in the concrete, replace them with new, healthy concrete. Then, wait for about a month for the new concrete layer to set.
If the cracks aren’t too large and can be filled, smooth out the cracked areas with filler layers.
These steps are crucial for installing tiles on concrete surfaces. Otherwise, the tiles might loosen or break.
Plywood
Sometimes, the tiles that will be used as flooring need to be installed on plywood.
First, ensure the underlying plywood is entirely intact.
If the plywood is weak and brittle, it won’t withstand the heavy weight of the tile adhesive, mortar, and the tiles themselves.
To address this, sand down the plywood to smooth it.
Ensure that all the plywood is in good condition before starting floor preparation for tile installation.
Installing tiles on this kind of subfloor is recommended in areas that don’t experience heavy traffic. Also, use polyurethane or silicone adhesives rather than cement-based adhesives, which might cause the plywood to swell.
Multilayer Vinyl
Floors made of multilayer vinyl or linoleum can also be used for installing new tiles, but these subfloors have certain requirements that need to be met before tiling.
First, clean these vinyl surfaces of any adhesive residue.
If you can’t remove the adhesive from the multilayer vinyl, spread a thin layer of mortar over the vinyl to cover the existing adhesive completely.
Then, prepare the surface for tiling.
Using surface primers before installing tiles is necessary.
Ceramic Floor
We mentioned earlier that you can install new tiles over old ceramic tiles. If you don’t have the time to remove the old tiles or want to install new, beautiful tiles over the old ones:
First, ensure that the raised new surface does not obstruct the closing of cabinet or entry doors.
Take the necessary measurements.
When using adhesive mortar for tile installation, ensure the thickness of the mortar is appropriate. If the adhesive mortar is too thick, it can cause problems with door movement and result in tile shrinkage issues.
Next, ensure that the current tiles covering the floor are level with one another.
If the tiles aren’t level, use mortar to even them out since the new tiles must be laid on a flat and smooth surface.
Finally, clean the tile surfaces with coarse sandpaper and a degreaser before starting the tiling process.
Using surface primers or roughening the old ceramic surface before installing new tiles is mandatory.
What Are the Types of Subfloors for Tile Installation?
Four types of subfloors can be used to install tiles:
Concrete Subfloor Concrete is similar to mortar and is typically used for installing tiles. Therefore, adhering new tiles to concrete surfaces is not a problem. The only thing to watch out for is ensuring the concrete subfloor doesn’t have large cracks. If there are, use the methods mentioned earlier to fix them.
Cement Board Subfloor Tiles can also be installed on cement boards, which are made from fiberglass and cement. These subfloors are 1 to 3 centimeters thick and heavy. The advantage of cement boards is that they are pre-made, so there’s no need for extensive preparation before tiling.
Mortar Subfloor Mortar has been used for tiling in the construction industry for a long time. It can smooth the underlying surface and create good adhesion between the floor and tiles. However, make sure to use high-quality mortar for tiling. What Subfloors Are Not Suitable for Tile Installation?
Some subfloors are too weak and not ideal for tile installation. These subfloors do not create good adhesion due to contraction and expansion, and over time, they cause tiles to loosen, warp, and break:
Particleboard
Fiberglass Board
Single-layer Wood Board
Compressed Fiberboard
Vinyl
Gypsum or Drywall
Metal Sheets
Final Words
Failing to follow important tips for floor preparation for tile installation can lead to many issues in the future. Therefore, it’s better to consider all aspects in advance and pay attention to the tips mentioned in this article. If you need advice and guidance on purchasing floor tiles and preparing the floor for tile installation, you can contact the sales department any day of the week.