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nostalgicfarm

Laying tile without cement board?

nostalgicfarm
9 years ago

We pulled some tile up in several spaces. The tile was laid directly onto the OSB/Plywood subfloor. When I asked at the hardware store, I was told you are suppose to lay tile on cement board. If I lay cement board and then tile, my floor will be too high. Is there something thin you can, or what am I missing for this remodeling process? Thanks!

Comments (11)

  • handymac
    9 years ago

    Ceramic, stone, or vinyl tile?

    Vinyl; can be installed directly on subflooring, although the defects in the subfloor will telegraph through the tile. Luaun or other wood underlayment is a better base.

    Stone or ceramic tile on subfloor usually cracks. Because the subfloor is not stiff enough---the reason for the cement board.

    The better choice of underlayment for stone or ceramic tile(and more expensive) is Ditra or similar disconnecting membrane.

    Doing the new tile(if stone/ceramic) will raise the new surfaces from 1/2" to 5/8" usually. If the tile is thicker, that can be an inch.

    Transition strips are made to minimize the immediate height differences, but an inch or more is going to be a trip hazard regardless of transition strips.

    Best option is either visit a real flooring business or do a lot of research on the internet.

  • weedyacres
    9 years ago

    Use Ditra. It only adds 1/8" to the floor level and is easier to install.

  • nostalgicfarm
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The spot I am concerned about buts up.to the front door.
    I am referring to a porceian til, not vinyl.
    I think I will probably be fine with Ditra if it only adds 1/8 inch.
    Thanks!

  • handymac
    9 years ago

    Ditra will add closer to 1/2", not counting tile.

  • _sophiewheeler
    9 years ago

    Then add thinset and tile, and you've added 1''. Yousimply are notgoing to get away from using thresholds.

  • nostalgicfarm
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Holysprings-There was tile by the door previously. Bit there wasnt cement board. I dont want the carpet to but to the front door, so am trying to figure out the best way to make tile work.
    This.is.a house we bought as we couldnt find a big enoughrental house in the.town we intend to build in. We will probably keep the house after as a rental house.

  • PRO
    Cabot & Rowe
    9 years ago

    Once you have the proper plywood properly installed, you can use Greenskin as your underlayment between the plywood and the thinset for the tile. It has the thickness of a used dollar bill.

    Head on over to the John Bridge Tile Forum and use the handy dandy deflecto-lator to see if the joists are stiff enough to handle tile.

    Once that is done we can discuss the plywood condition, type and joist spacing for the type of tile you select.

  • sombreuil_mongrel
    9 years ago

    What kind of Ditra are you using that's 1/2" thick? I think that Schluter makes a Kerdiboard @ 1/2", but Ditra is 1/8"; Ditra XL is like 5/16
    Casey

  • xedos
    9 years ago

    If your Ditra assembly is 1/2 thick - your tile setter is doing something wrong. Majorly wrong.

  • dekeoboe
    9 years ago

    this is a dead thread

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