The last step before tiling a wooden floor is to apply an even coat of diluted SBR primer and allow it to dry. Repeat this process until you’ve covered the whole floor with your tiling board, applying adhesive to the board edges to avoid protruding edges. With plywood you can screw straight through and into the wood, but with tile backer boards, you should make pilot holes beforehand to prevent the material from splitting. Insert screws in an even, grid-like pattern across the board, including each corner to prevent the edges from lifting. Immediately after, permanently fix the boarding into place with some short countersunk screws and an electric cordless screwdriver. Use your foot to tap the board down and make sure it’s firmly adhered to the floorboards underneath. Lay the boarding adhesive-side down, making sure it’s lined up with the edges of the floor. To lay your first board, use a caulking gun with quick grip adhesive to apply a line around the back of the board’s edge, working your way into the centre to give even adhesive coverage. Start in an open corner and work your way across the room, cutting the more awkward pieces to fit the opposite wall as you go. Measure plywood or backer boards and cut them to size to ensure the entire area to be tiled is covered. Traditionally, 12mm thick plywood was the way to go, but this can raise the floor height of the room by around 1.5cm once tiled.Īlternatively, you can opt for thinner, specialist tile backer boards that offer excellent rigidity and a consistent floor height, as well as built-in flexibility.īefore you lay your boards, give the floor a good clean. You’ll need to cover your floorboards with a rigid and smooth surface to prepare it for tiling.
Use short, countersunk screws to avoid hitting any pipes or wires under the floor and leaving bumps on the upper surface. To further secure floorboards, screw into the floor joists that run perpendicular to the floorboards – these can be identified by existing nails fixing the floorboards in place. Once you’ve identified the troublemakers, you’ll need to solidify the surface and reduce movement. Clear the furniture from the room and have a good stamp around on the floor, marking any floorboards which are flexing or creaking under weight with a pencil. Next, you need to fix any creaks and loose floorboards. When choosing your tiles, make sure you’re buying floor tiles that are designed to be incredibly strong and durable to withstand heavy footfall and impacts.
Follow these simple steps for preparing your floors for tile s and you should be left with a stunning and professional finish:īefore you start your DIY project, measure the floor and calculate how many square metres of tiles you’ll need – multiply the length of the area by the width. The key to successfully laying tiles on wooden floors is in the preparation work. Diamond drill discs and blade with electric grinder.Flexible tile backer boards or 12mm plywood.
Image by cetteup on Unsplash Equipment & tools checklist But with some simple DIY prep, you can create a smooth and rigid surface that’s perfect for floor tiling.
This contradiction of properties can cause tiles and grout to crack or lift over time. In contrast, tiles are incredibly hard and unyielding in their composition. Wood’s flexible and uneven nature makes it more susceptible to movement underfoot. However, it is possible to tile onto floorboards rather than rip them up and replace them with concrete. Wooden flooring is often found in bathrooms and kitchens – areas of the home which are better suited to durable and waterproof tiled surfaces. So, before we get into the nitty-gritty of tiling on wooden floors, it’s important to understand why these two flooring options don’t always see eye to eye. Whether you live in a period home with original wooden floorboards or a new build with chipboard under the carpets, if you’re keen to make the switch to tiles, wooden flooring can cause a few initial issues. Tiles on floorboards: why don’t they get along? Giving you all the essential know-how needed for laying tiles on floorboards, getting a smooth, durable and crack-free finish is easy with this guide.
While tiles and floorboards might not be the best of pals, with a little DIY know-how, they can get along harmoniously – just like you can tile over tiles and similar.įrom pre-tiling considerations to tiling tools and installation, this how to tile a wooden floor guide will bust the myth that tiles and floorboards don’t mix. From bathrooms and kitchens to bedrooms, hallways and living rooms, tiles offer a strong, durable and practical option for covering floors throughout your home.īut, if you’re facing the prospect of tiling directly onto a wooden floor in your home, you may be wondering if this is even a possibility.