can i use cement to lay floor tiles

My contractor wants to install laminate on TOP of floor. Carpet. Image Credit: Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images When the old floor material is a still strong ceramic tile surface though, you can place the new covering over the tiles as long as you create a smooth surface beforehand. In our case, we had to tile the stair hallway, but you can use these techniques to lay ceramic tile on any concrete floor. The surface can’t be slick, heavily troweled or burnished. Many homeowners are hesitant to using carpet in the basement, due to moisture concerns. No matter the weather or season, a laminate wood floor should be a silent expanse that runs through your living spaces. How to lay tile on cement basement floor. The tile used on this. Before you begin to lay the tile over your concrete slab, make sure the concrete is properly prepared. Moreover, the laminate flooring is easy to maintain and durable, if you clean it regularly with appropriate products. Step 1 - Preparing the Concrete. Laminate flooring replicates the look of solid hardwood flooring or tile flooring without the expense. Spend a little more money now or a ton more money later when you have to buy new tile and retile the floor. It strikes me as overkill. Your tile will eventually come loose and your grout will crack as well. Then use a square tool to check that the lines are perpendicular to one another. This option works best when the concrete floor is in good condition, so take care to follow all of the steps below to repair cracks, fill depressions, and make sure the floor … It is necessary for them to adapt to the humidity and the temperature of the particular room. can you explain how to lay a tiles if the floor is not strait can you assist me with that. This article is about how to lay laminate flooring on concrete. Outdoor flooring on dirt: installation tips. If yes, the quantity of sand & cement. Lay the 1x4s perpendicular to the direction you intend to install the floor planks. Hi, I expected to install Tile on my bathroom floor so I installed Cement-fiber board. Lay the tile in thin-set Set the tiles using the same latex-modified thin-set and techniques used for the cement board. Fit the last tile in the row at the wall. 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. The previous owner put the really old style tiles on top of concrete. If you want to know how to install a vinyl plank over an uneven floor… One flooring company said they would install an uncoupling membrane when installing tile over my 100-year-old basement laundry room's concrete floor. A new floor installation can be expensive. Now that you have a reference point, you can be sure that the first row of tiles will be properly aligned. You can use sand/cement mix on natural stone but it needs to be a full wet mix, just as would be used when flagging with natural stone outside. Even out and compact the level of the resting layer (sand or gravel) Lay the sheet on the bed of gravel or sand, maintaining a minimum gap of 1 cm or wider (Japanese spacing) Use a rubber hammer to eliminate any unevenness This laid thick enough should iron out any variations in the tiles thickness to give a level enough floor surface. There are no cracks in the concrete, and I believe the concrete … Don't use regular cement or mortar to lay tile. Lay the flooring into the adhesive with the tongue side of the board facing the center of the room. OIs there a good reason to do use a membrane? Ripping up concrete and building a deck seemed like a daunting and expensive task, so when we saw NewTechWood Deck-A-Floor , we thought it would be absolutely perfect for our space. Many homeowners choose to do the work themselves to avoid the costs of hiring a professional. The tile adhesive is designed specifically to bond tile to a subfloor. Spacers are available where tile is sold. Concrete is a smooth, stable surface so the vinyl will go down smoothly and easily. Putting it over a concrete floor is the simplest way to install vinyl -- in most cases, you need only sweep and vacuum the concrete. In many cases, you can lay tile directly on the concrete surface, which is naturally hard and durable. Cement tiles should be regularly mopped with clean water. There are also tiles … Cover tile floors with floor leveling compound to create a hard level surface before placing a new floor covering. Installing Deck Flooring on a Cement Patio My husband Harrison and I have wanted to change out our patio floor since the day we bought the house. If you’re using a urethane adhesive, this advice is even more vital since the adhesive is moisture-cured and sets up fairly quickly. Installing vinyl flooring is one of the easiest jobs for the do-it-yourself homeowner. Whether you use your basement for storage, laundry, or a bonus living space–or all of the above–choosing to insulate a concrete floor will benefit you in a variety of ways. Test how it will look like by laying the tile without adhesive. As needed, use a concrete grinder (you may want to rent one) to remove any coating and to slightly roughen the concrete surface so the adhesive will stick. Solid parquet should not be installed below grade. Adhesive layer is a lot thinner than the mixture of sand-cement, and this leads to lighter load to building structure. Laminates can be laid down on almost all subfloors with minimal preparations, which is why many homeowners tackle its installation as a DIY project. That’s not a problem with tile. Use plastic spacers at each tile corner to maintain even grout lines between the tiles. Use proper spacers and use a 3 foot level or batten to press the tiles flat. If the floor is uneven, you need to address a few things to create a flat floor for the laminate flooring. Placing cement boards over the concrete subfloor is an excellent way to create a solid and smooth subfloor. Continue the process by applying mortar to another section and then laying tiles. Laying floor tile over concrete is not a technically demanding job. 2. Inspect the floor and repair cracks, pits, holes, or other uneven patches. Use spacers for accuracy. Such expansion and contraction can cause cracking. Just go for it. Laying laminate flooring on uneven concrete can lead to problems. Keep in mind, the average cost of laminate flooring is $1/sf to $5/sf. Install Tile Directly on the Concrete Floor. If the concrete subfloor is always dry, however, laminate floors can be placed directly on the slab. You don’t want the adhesive drying before you can get to that area. Laminate flooring is a popular flooring option because of its attractiveness, durability, scratch resistance and, most importantly, its ease of installation. If no, why? Don’t be afraid to wet mop and scrub at the tiles, because a clean tile will render better adhesion and a more successful seal. Reply. sipho February 26, 2016 at 4:35 am. IMPORTANT: If you lay the laminated flooring on new concrete floors, you must know that the period of the complete drying is about 80 days. Before the installation itself, leave laminate boards in the room for some time. Peel-and-stick vinyl tiles are durable and easy to install. In some cases, particularly with new construction, settling and shifting of the substrate may cause cracks to develop. Cement Tile Floor Care. There are two different methods suitable for installing self-adhesive vinyl tiles over concrete. Use a notched edge trowel when a correct mastic thickness is specified. Gluing Solid Parquet Flooring Directly to a Concrete Slab. While laminate is flexible, it may disclose the imperfections in the floor. Never use acids to clean the encaustic cement tiles as it will cause damage. In addition, tile flooring will not expand as it warms or contract as it cools. In Colorado, dry basement, built 1961. 5. If any tiles are above or below the level of ones next to them, remove them and either add or take away adhesive to make them level. Anthony Parker March 17, 2016 at 8:11 am. Using concrete to encapsulate asbestos tiles starts by having a clean, well-washed floor surface. The reason that I say floor tile adhesive is that it is quick drying and the tiles can be walked on soon after laying. However, laying vinyl flooring over concrete requires a bit more preparation. Mix up thin set mortar in a 5 gallon bucket using a mixing paddle chucked into a low speed drill. Laying tiles by using tile adhesive with notched trowel requires less amount of material. Laminate Flooring. If you are installing a locking or floating floor not attached to the subfloor, just make sure that the subfloor is clean. Scenario: When installing a laminate floor on top of old tile on top of concrete basement floor. You can use a chalk line to properly square the tiles. Use concrete filler or a similar floor patching compound to repair the damage. Small cracks caused by shrinkage usually do not present a problem; but larger cracks, especially those that are higher on one side than the other, may telegraph through the tile and cause it to crack. Prepare the subfloor Repair cracks and holes. Continue marking, cutting and laying tiles to fill the floor space. Only mix as much thin-set as you can use in a half hour and be sure to have solid support under each tile. It can be physically strenuous and messy, but it is a home improvement project that will allow you to cut labor costs by doing it yourself. Continue laying tiles until you’ve covered the mortared area. Floor tiles are very forgiving and easy to lay. Use a chalk line to mark your starting point on the concrete floor. This is a possible basement flooring project you can DIY. Can you use sand & cement for floor laying tiles? I have since decided to install vinyl sheet flooring. Here, we look at why insulating concrete floors is so important and offer tips on choosing and installing concrete floor … However, a homeowner may need to raise the floor slightly before installing tile and lack the experience or time to install a mortar bed. height change is too much, consider laying a laminated wood floor instead. Remove baseboards as part of your prep too, so that you can fully clean your tile. It also does a great job over radiant heat. It will not work long term. Tip: If the 1-1/2 in. But for highly uneven surfaces, you can install laminate flooring. If you follow all these steps, you’ll have a stiff, monolithic, crack-free floor… Reply. Use a straight edge or level to make sure all the tiles are lying flat or have the necessary fall to let water drain away. A bag of 20 kg tile adhesive can be used to lay tiles on the average area of 4 - 5 m2. Hold the chalk line at a 90-degree angle to the opposite wall and snap it down onto the bare concrete slab before applying the adhesive. Concrete is usually a good subfloor on which to install ceramic tile. Solid parquet hardwood flooring can be glued directly to a concrete slab on grade or above grade with the use of a manufacturer recommended vapor retarder. The laminate flooring is cheap and comes in a large diversity of colors, thicknesses and finishes, as you can easily find one to fit your needs and tastes perfectly. Make sure that you plan the layout so that you have a minimum amount of cutting. 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