OK guys, I’ve looked in the archive and no one has posted this specific question. A homeowner wants some tiling done. They have had water damage where a toilet was leaking in a bathroom. The flooring is probably 3/4″ advantech covered with 1/8″ louon and then covered with vynil. IF AND ONLY IF the existing 3/4″ advantech decking is ok then what. My question is, should I take up all of the vynil and louon that is probably stapeled every 4″ and go back in with durock or is there any way to attach hardiboard or other thin material to the existing floor to have a backer to lay to without having a huge step up in the transition. In the past on high transitions I have taken a threshold and set it at a 45 to make the transition, but if I put 1/2 durock over top the vynil, I’ll have a step and not a transition. Any thoughts???
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Replies
Personally, I wouldn't try to lay tile on vinyl. A couple of months ago, I replaced a tile floor in a customers kitchen (it had been water damaged when the refrigerator ice maker leaked) and found that the old tile had been laid over older vinyl that hadn't been glued to the underlayment.
I'm back there now to lay tile in the dining room and entryway and I started the demo yesterday. I found the same vinyl under the carpet and pad and this vinyl came up in large sheets when I ripped up the underlayment.
I would resist laying tile over vinyl, but if I really had to, I would use lots of screws or roofing nails to hold the vinyl to the underlayment and subfloor.
Thinset would have a very hard time sticking to vinyl. I'd put plywood and backerboard over the top.Regards, Scooter"I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow." WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
I have a relatively new house that I bought when it was only a year old - I've always been annoyed by the tile in the front hall - I can feel it move when I walk on it and crackle a little - I know it's eventually going to need work.
I just had the vinyl torn out in my kitchen (abutting the front hall) and replaced with HW - when he was doing it, my contractor called me over and said 'your not going to believe this - they layed the tile over vinyl in the hall!' Apparently they did the kitchen and hall at the same time, then decided they didn't like it and just put the ceramic tile on top. That's explains why it gives so much - so if I were you, I wouldn't do it!
I'd rip out the vinyl and luan together - not that hard - then use Ditra (see FHB #173) as underlayment to minimize the height impact. I just used it in a laundry room and it's holding up very well.
Ditra 173