Tile

 

Tile

Question:
What preparation is required, after removing peel and stick tiles, in order to install ceramic tiles?
Answer:

In order to lay ceramic tiles, the sub floor has to be free of all glue residue and debris down to the actual wood sub floor. Also, two layers of wood sub floor are required; the top floor running in the opposite direction to the bottom wood sub floor. The top sub floor must be plywood.

Question:
If you install sub-floor over linoleum floor, should you use an adhesive with the screws to secure the floor?
Answer:

Absolutely not. You should install 5/8" plywood, and use screws that are sunken 6" in the center and 4" all around the edges.

Question:
Could you give me some information on the different kinds of ceramic tiles and if they are that hared to install?
Answer:

There are various types of tiles from all over the world. All tiles have different ratings as to scratch and wear. Ceramic tile must be installed on concrete or backer board, thin set applied, and then tile set using spacers. Apply grout the next day.

Question:
In my kitchen I have peel and stick tile, I'm ready to replace it with 12x12 hard tiles and grout it in. Can I leave the peel and stick tile or do I need to remove it? Under, it is mobile home saw dust/glue floor. If it gets wet should I put in plywood before I put in new tile? The floor is solid but will cement weaken the sawdust /glue floor? I don't want to have to replace it a few years later, as this will be there a long time I hope.
Answer:

A concrete backer board must be placed down first, which can be placed on top of the peel and stick tile. Ceramic tile then can be applied and if the floor is solid it should be alright.

Question:
We have carpet under which is old, old tile. We would like to lay hardwood flooring. Would you recommend removing the tiles or can we just lay the hardwood over it?
Answer:

If it is Vinyl tile then the hardwood can be installed over it, but it does make it more difficult. If it is not a large area you may be better off taking the tile up. If you are having it professionally installed then you need not worry about the tile.

Question:
How do you prepare the cement floor before installing vinyl tile?
Answer:

There are many steps in preparing a floor for a vinyl tile installation. All the work is in the preparation of the floor. You must get rid of all the lumps and imperfections on the floor, floor patch dips and cracks (ardex is good) sand the floor if necessary and the floor mush be dust free. you have to make sure that there is not a lot of moisture in the concrete before installation.

Question:
What are my options for transition from tile in one room to carpet in another? I have a little over 12 feet to span.
Answer:

There are molding strips specifically designed to transition between tile and carpet. You did not say what type of tile was involved so I will assume ceramic.There is what is called T-mold that can be used and there is also a strip that accepts the carpet edge on one side and has a beveled edge on the opposite side to transition down to tile that is not a high as the abutting vinyl. Good sources for these items would be from The Home Depot or Lowe's.

Question:
If you own a rental home on the beach in North Carolina, what is the best tile flooring for your kitchen and bath area?
Answer:

The best floor to use in this area would be a glazed stone-look ceramic tile. The stone look tiles have a texture to them which makes them more slip resistant. Ceramic would hold up the best in a beach area where you have sand, salt and a lot of moisture and being a rental property, it can take a pretty good beating. The only problem you may run into is a tile cracking from something being dropped, but it would have to be pretty heavy to crack most tiles. Just make sure you keep a few extra tiles & some extra grout if any repair work is needed later. Grout comes in a powder form in which water is added to turn it into a colored cement. Make sure you keep the grout sealed, such as in a zip-lock bag and away from moisture.I would stay away from using any hardwood or the new laminate products. The wood would not hold up well to the moisture, salt & sand.

Question:
What is the easiest way to remove ceramic tile and the glue underneath? And, is it possible to just carpet over it. It's in a small area, a foyer that's about 5' x 5'.
Answer:

The easiest way to remove ceramic tile in a small area is with a hammer and a chisel. It takes some time to get it all up but that is the easiest way. Remember to wear safety glasses because chips will hit you in the eyes. The thin set mortar will also chip away but you can also use a 4" scraper blade to get it real smooth. You could carpet over the tile but it is a difficult project because you have to get the tack strip to nail into the grout also there will be a big height difference into other rooms with the carpet going over the tile. If you have any other questions please feel free to call us at 355-2142 and ask for Rick.

Question:
We put in laminate flooring in our kitchen a year ago and I absolutely hate it. We have patio doors that face west and you can see every foot print and water dribble on it. We are pulling it out this year and I was wondering if the tile laminate would do the same thing or am I better off going back to linoleum. Never would I recommend laminate flooring to anyone because of it being so hard to keep clean.
Answer:

Many laminate tile styles will hide the prints and dribbles a lot better than your wood grain laminate. It really has to do with the nature of the color and texture of the product. Of course there are a variety of styles and colors and brands to choose from. In my honest opinion, I would strongly recommend getting a decent vinyl in that area. There are just too many benefits of vinyl over laminate that make it hard to ignore. The vinyl that they make now-a-days are much better than ever a few years ago and I think you would be surprised as to the realism and quality of what they make in vinyl's today.There are even a number of wood grain vinyl's that look as good if not better than many laminates out there.