How To Install Ceramic Tiles On The Plywood Subfloor

The plywood floor does have a few gouges in the surface from pulling up the old tile.

How to install ceramic tiles on the plywood subfloor.

Plywood must be installed over an. 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. 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. Plywood or osb flakeboard can expand and contract at too high a rate to be a stable foundation for tile.

It will break or dislodge if the surface bends under the load. Need to install a subfloor. A plywood subfloor must be structurally sound and able to support the installation. 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.

Cement backerboard is made for tiling. Backerboard does not shrink or expand when it comes into contact with water mortar and grout both contain water. The bathroom is small 25 sq. The safest most prudent course is to install tile on top of a cement backerboard such as durock wonderboard or hardiebacker.

Installing ceramic floor tile to a plywood sub floor has unique challenges beyond that of installation on a concrete floor. Remember that you need a very flat surface to work on. No matter how firm the subfloor. A poor ceramic installation will delaminate from the subfloor split at the grout lines or worse crack directly across the tile.

Laying tile over a plywood subfloor can be tricky but if you prepare the sub floor properly your tile floor will last for a lifetime. The coach demonstrates how to install a 3 8 plywood subfloor in a bathroom. Tile floors are heavy and tile is a hard material. If needed sand the plywood down to level the subfloor.

Plywood substrate alternatives. Laying tile over a plywood subfloor can be tricky but. This will cause either the tile itself to crack and even come loose or cause the grout to crack inside the joints.