Tile Over Concrete Slab

Wear safety gear when operating a tile saw or the cutting board.

Tile over concrete slab.

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. Use a polymer modified dry set mortar adhesive that s rated for outdoor use. Cover the slab completely with the tile adhesive and apply it to the back of the tiles as well. The concrete should be properly cured be level to 1 4 inch in 10 feet and have a steel trowel or fine broom finish.

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. But larger cracks especially those that are higher on one side than the other may telegraph through the tile and cause it to crack. 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.

Guide to installing tile over concrete slabs. Here we ll walk you through how to lay paving stones over concrete. 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. Use gloves when grouting to avoid the.

Watch this video to find out more. Small cracks caused by shrinkage usually do not present a problem. Yet this application does make sense since concrete is heavy solid and is typically thought of as an unbending uncompromising material. Tsp is a high strength cleaner which is useful for removing dirt grease and oil from your existing surface.

Larger tiles will require a larger notch. Choose a grout that resists stains and fading. Covering concrete with paver bricks is much easier than pouring new concrete or laying paving stones the traditional way. 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.

Generally speaking you don t what to install tile over a concrete slab that has a hydrostatic water problem unless it is remediated first. Assess your slab this project will work with most patios. Scrub the floor with a brush and tsp and allow it to dry thoroughly. Before you begin to lay the tile over your concrete slab make sure the concrete is properly prepared.

A typical 12 inch by 12 inch tile requires a 3 8 inch notched trowel. 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. Tile can contribute thermal mass to a passive solar house and to christa campbell it would make a more appealing finish floor than concrete.

Installing tile outdoors on a concrete patio.