How To Install Porcelain Floor Tile On Cracked Concrete

In this article i m going to show you how to install ceramic tiles on a concrete floor substrate.

How to install porcelain floor tile on cracked concrete.

You ll see how to complete each step and work the required tools such as trowels manual snap cutter wet saw and tile nipper. With the proper tools laying a tile floor is a manageable do it yourself project if you want to save costs. After all cracks and uneven areas in the concrete can cause damage to the tile above and uncontrolled moisture in the concrete can destroy the mortar and loosen the tiles. You can either roll on a liquid latex membrane or use a peel and stick crack prevention mat over the entire concrete subfloor.

X research source a muriatic or other acid based cleaner is usually the best way to completely clean the concrete prior to installing tile. And the result is hard wearing and attractive flooring. It may not be the easiest to install but it s not that hard either. Cut the membrane so it s 1 1 2 times the width of your tiles.

Watch our how to install ceramic and porcelain floor tile videos and learn the steps needed for a successful installation. A tile floor is only as strong and as stable as the subfloor on which it is installed. Tiles can be found in a seemingly unlimited variety of sizes colors and patterns. How to lay tile over cracked concrete.

Concrete expands and contracts and that type of movement can also crack the tiles and the grout. Skip this step and we guarantee your new tile will crack right over the cracks in the concrete. Yet this application does make sense since concrete is heavy solid and is typically thought of as an unbending uncompromising material. Examine the floor and see if there are any cracks or pits that need to be fixed and use the proper concrete repair kit to repair them.

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. However you re not out of the woods. Installing tile directly on concrete. Tile flooring can quickly give an old floor pizazz.

Then prime the concrete see photo 2 with the recommended solution consult the membrane manufacturer s literature. 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. Although you don t need to install an underlayment between the concrete and the tile you need to prepare the surface before placing the tile. How to tile over cracked floors.

Cracks mean movement. To prevent that movement from creating cracks in your grout and tile install a crack prevention membrane after the concrete subfloor is clean flat and free of cracks larger than 1 8 inch.