How To Lay Ceramic Tile Over Existing Ceramic Tile

Colorful tiles may go out of style and some tiles are inappropriate for the space.

How to lay ceramic tile over existing ceramic tile.

Installing ceramic tile over vinyl or linoleum surfaces can be more complicated than expected and probably should be avoided whenever possible. However if you can t remove the old surface or otherwise decide to install over it lay a backer board with thin set over the old surface to serve as your new subfloor material. That means all existing tiles need to be secure without major breakage or chips. If your old ceramic tile is worn or dated you can lay new tile right over the old and avoid the huge job of tearing out the old tile.

If you hear a hollow sound when you tap a tile lightly with a wood mallet that means it s loose. If the grout or any tiles are cracked that is an indication of a problem that you don t want to tile over. This assumes that the floor underneath is solid concrete and that there are no cracks in the existing tile indicating underlying problems in the concrete. Look for any loose or wobbly tiles that need to be removed or repaired.

You can also lay a level across the floor in different areas to make sure the tiles are even. Installing over existing vinyl. Tiled walls can last many years but that s not always a good thing.