Tile Over Concrete Slab

Guide to installing tile over concrete slabs.

Tile over concrete slab.

Use a polymer modified dry set mortar adhesive that s rated for outdoor use. Use gloves when grouting to avoid the. Tiles can be applied directly to a clean smooth concrete slab with a latex portland cement mortar. Here we ll walk you through how to lay paving stones over concrete.

A typical 12 inch by 12 inch tile requires a 3 8 inch notched trowel. Yet this application does make sense since concrete is heavy solid and is typically thought of as an unbending uncompromising material. 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 concrete should be properly cured be level to 1 4 inch in 10 feet and have a steel trowel or fine broom finish.

Generally speaking you don t what to install tile over a concrete slab that has a hydrostatic water problem unless it is remediated first. It requires less skill and less time and it s a whole lot easier on your back. 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. How to lay porcelain tile over a concrete floor things you will need.

Installing tile directly on concrete. 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. Larger tiles will require a larger notch. Tile can contribute thermal mass to a passive solar house and to christa campbell it would make a more appealing finish floor than 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. Covering concrete with paver bricks is much easier than pouring new concrete or laying paving stones the traditional way. Installing tile outdoors on a concrete patio. Small cracks caused by shrinkage usually do not present a problem.

Before you begin to lay the tile over your concrete slab make sure the concrete is properly prepared. 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. 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. Wear safety gear when operating a tile saw or the cutting board.

Mix up a bucket of tsp tri sodium phosphate solution. 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. Watch this video to find out more. Tsp is a high strength cleaner which is useful for removing dirt grease and oil from your existing surface.

Scrub the floor with a brush and tsp and allow it to dry thoroughly.