Can u tile on ply?

Question

im putting a new shower room in, and the room has a suspended floor (its upstairs). We used to have a carpet, and under this is ply wood. Will tile adhesive adhere to the ply? does the ply need to be marine ply? Any answers or tips would be much apreciated :) Ash

Answer 1

The easy test is have someone jump up & down in the bathroom. stand about 3' away. Do you feel the floor move? If so you need to reinforce the floor. Concrete backer board is normally required. Once you know about the subfloor you can tell the company you are buying from and they will tell you the correct setting material. Don't neglect the floor prep or you will regrete for ever.

Answer 2

When laying tile over plywood make sure you have at least 1" of plywood sub-floor (if it has any squeaks run 2 1/2" screws into the area, and then install 1/4" of Hardibacker. Screw this down every 4" on center with 1 1/4" screws and you will end up with a rock solid floor. The only way to kill a tile floor is to have any movement. This is not a place to skimp on labor or materials.

Answer 3

Yes you can tile onto ply. It would be wise to coat the ply with PVA glue and water (50%/50% mix) to seal it. Use a good adhesive and ensure the grouting is also done using the same waterproof adhesive.

Answer 4

yes you can but there is a specfic tile adhesive to use which is more flexible than the normal stuff so as to allow movement in the ply underneath if it shrinks etc. just ask at ure local diy store. everbuild does one. as for the ply it would be better to put marine ply in at the shower but ul get away with the ordinary stuff for the rest

Answer 5

ditto shawn. Usually carpet is installed directly over the subfloor, which is typically 3/4" plywood or structure wood. This is not adequate for a tile floor. You need an 1-1/8" of structure for a tile installation. I'd recommend fiberrock or hardi-backer. You can use 3/8" or 1/2" Also use a good latex modified thin set mortar. I recommend TEC.

Answer 6

Successful installation of ceramic tile over any surface requires the sub-floor be properly prepared. Improper installation, even over concrete will yield poor results. For installation over plywood, marine grade wood is not required as properly installed ceramic tile should be waterproof. Deflection (movement of the floor) is your biggest enemy.

If you know what the construction of the floor is, use the deflection calculator at http://johnbridge.com/vbulletin/deflecto.pl to make sure that the existing structure can handle the tile.

Replace any sections of the sub-floor that are rotted, warped or de-laminated due to moisture. Replacement of these sections is done fairly easily with the use of a circular saw set a fraction of an inch lower than the thickness of the sub-floor. Make sure to appropriately brace the edges along any repairs. Add additional screws to any boards that have become loose.

Once you have a solid and level sub-floor, I would recommend the use of 1/4" HardiBacker board ( http://www.jameshardie.com ) as a base for the tile. It is easy to install with the use of a carbide tipped knife (found in the tile area at home improvement stores) and a cordless screw driver. Make sure to follow the manufacturers instructions for whatever product that you choose and you should have a beautiful floor that will last for years.

Answer 7

Have done this successfully in my bathroom, it is important that you have a thick ply,something like 22mm, so there is no bounce, otherwise you will disturb the tiles..Does not have to be marine ply, give it a good coat of Pva and let dry before you start

Answer 8

Spend the extra 2.00 a square foot and install a backer board (from James Hardie Industries) designed for exposure to water, install tile (the smaller the tile the less likely the tile will crack as opposed to the grout lines) the use a water "proof" grout. make sure to not use water to mix the grout, but a liquid additive designed to mix the dry grout with. That way any deflection, there will be, will cause the grout to seperate. Grout is easier and cheaper to replace. no matter how old it is it can be color matched, try that with tile!

Answer 9

Yes you can, but you must use the correct adhesive and grout. Any tile warehouse will advise you. The products are flexible and allow a degree of movement between floor and tile to avoid it breaking.

Answer 10

You will need to lay a flat board like fibreboard then coat with flexible tile adhesive designed for tile to wood.