Ceramic Tile Installation Concrete Slab

Installing over wood.

Ceramic tile installation concrete slab.

The foundation is concrete slab. The builders put down some sort of filler not concrete for this large gap. However you re not out of the woods. 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.

Do i need to fill the gap with concrete before laying the tile. Installing ceramic tiles over concrete can help to create a more inviting indoor or outdoor living space. Concrete provides one of the most stable working platforms in the world and is the preferred foundation layer for a ceramic or porcelain tile installation. This floor was installed around 1920.

When installing a ceramic tile floor on a concrete subfloor you don t have to worry about flexing as long as the concrete slab is at least 1 1 8 inch thick which most slabs are. For one outside wall the concrete ends about 1 inch from the wall. At left is another ceramic tile on concrete installation in the same city with some interesting repairs. Yet this application does make sense since concrete is heavy solid and is typically thought of as an unbending uncompromising material.

Using an acid based cleaner or deep cleaner of your choice clean the concrete and allow it to dry thoroughly. If you are getting moisture from the slab then it could result in getting efflorescence staining in the grout assuming the tile is a glazed or low absorbing tile. Patio slabs are typically 3 1 2 in. A perfect new slab.

Whether you do it yourself or hire a contractor here are the requirements for a lasting tile ready slab. Ceramic tile or porcelain tile which is a type of ceramic tile in general is resistant to moisture. I want to install ceramic tile in the bedroom. Thick and reinforced with steel mesh if anything.

Installing tile directly on concrete. Any cracks in the surface of the slab need to be repaired before you begin as well. Concrete expands and contracts and that type of movement can also crack the tiles and the grout. Chipboard cushioned vinyl flooring particle boards of any type oriented strand board osb interior grade plywood tongue and groove planking and hardwood floors are unsuitable substrates for direct installation of ceramic tile.

To properly install tile over concrete the bathroom slab floor needs to be smooth and level.