Tile Over Concrete Slab

Guide to installing tile over concrete slabs.

Tile over concrete slab.

Wear safety gear when operating a tile saw or the cutting board. Yet this application does make sense since concrete is heavy solid and is typically thought of as an unbending uncompromising material. Scrub the floor with a brush and tsp and allow it to dry thoroughly. Here we ll walk you through how to lay paving stones over concrete.

It requires less skill and less time and it s a whole lot easier on your back. Ceramic and porcelain tile are so frequently installed at or above grade level on a cement board underlayment or directly on plywood that it almost seems novel to install tile directly on concrete. Generally speaking you don t what to install tile over a concrete slab that has a hydrostatic water problem unless it is remediated first. Larger tiles will require a larger notch.

Before you begin to lay the tile over your concrete slab make sure the concrete is properly prepared. Small cracks caused by shrinkage usually do not present a problem. Applying strips of uncoupling membrane between a concrete slab and a tile floor can help prevent cracks in the slab from affecting the finished surface. Although tile can be placed directly over a concrete slab products such as schluter s ditra are designed to separate or uncouple the tile from any potential movement in the substrate and.

Tiles can be applied directly to a clean smooth concrete slab with a latex portland cement mortar. The concrete should be properly cured be level to 1 4 inch in 10 feet and have a steel trowel or fine broom finish. Choose a grout that resists stains and fading. Mix up a bucket of tsp tri sodium phosphate solution.

Tsp is a high strength cleaner which is useful for removing dirt grease and oil from your existing surface. How to lay porcelain tile over a concrete floor things you will need. Hydrostatic water pressure is when water from a source higher than the slab is subjecting the slab to water pressure that results in water literally migrating to the surface of the concrete slab. Cover the slab completely with the tile adhesive and apply it to the back of the tiles as well.

Assess your slab this project will work with most patios. Watch this video to find out more. Use a polymer modified dry set mortar adhesive that s rated for outdoor use. As long as the concrete slab is clean flat and free of active cracks you can lay title directly on the concrete floor using thin set adhesive.

Things you will need level leveling compound rounding stone broom chalk line tool tile adhesive notched trowel tile leveler rubber mallet tile cutter paper grout rubber float toothbrush sponge. Installing tile directly on concrete. But larger cracks especially those that are higher on one side than the other may telegraph through the tile and cause it to crack. Use gloves when grouting to avoid the.

A typical 12 inch by 12 inch tile requires a 3 8 inch notched trowel.