Can u use ceramic tile on large areas in a mobile home?

Question

I have a double wide that is about 30 yrs old it has carpet now but I would like to put something else down. I was thinking about ceramic tile but some say I can and some say it will crack cause it's a mobile home. Does anyone out there know. It will be used in a living room, dinning room and kitchen. And if u know do u know someone who can do this THANKS

Answer 1

Typically, adding ceramic tile to a mobile home is a bad idea, but here are some tips that can help it last.

1. Be sure that the sub-floor is still in good shape. After removing the carpeting, check for the durability and sturdiness of the subflooring. If the flooring gives easily (meaning it sags even slightly when you stand or jump lightly on) you will need to reinforce it.

2. Reinforce the subfloor anyway. You can improve your long term results by laying at least 3/4 inch heavy plywood on the floor. You'll want to fasten this very securely with screws to the original subfloor. In areas that are prone to leaking water (i.e. the kitchen) you may wish to use treated plywood to keep the water from rotting the subfloor, should you ever spring a leak.

3. Don't move the mobile home once you've installed the tile. Just because of the nature of mobile homes, they do tend to change shape quite a bit while moving. Because of this, you'll want to avoid moving the home - or you'll probably suffer a few broken tiles, and lots of grout repair.

4. Sturdy the floor by adding cribbing and/or cement blocks underneath the home. Adding cribbing to support the home in areas where the floor tends to give will help maintain the structural integrity of the floor, which in turn will prevent the grout from breaking apart prematurely.

5. Hire a contractor that specalizes in mobile home renovation. They wouldn't be in business if their work fails after a short time. Be sure to check their references and the Better Business Bureau!

Good luck!

Answer 2

You can use tile in your home but consider the following:

You MUST USE HARDIBACKER 1/4 Backer board. Do not use anything else. I am a ex-tile installer in Texas and have completed this kind of work before and I have tried other "approved systems" and had the pleasure of redoing the work when it failed. The only product that works in this situation is Hardibacker. The hardibacker will create a stable solid floor under your tile if everything below it is in good shape.

You need to check the sub floor (the wood under the current carpet) make sure that it doesn't sag or flex under normal walking pressure. If it does consider replacing it with 3/4 in plywood. The Hardi will help but the disclaimer by the James Hardi company states that it will not help with deflection ( the flex or give in the sub floor) From experience it will help, but common sense says that to much flex is going to transfer through and crack your tile.

Once installed don't move the home. This will create a tremendous amount of flex and pressure IE.. a earthquake causing your tile to crack and break the bond.

Its not complete necessary but could be a good insurance policy to use a higher quality thinset that has some flex to it such as Custom building products Omni-flex thinset.

I now manage a Tile wholesale company and sell all brands of products not just the ones mention above. Out of all the items I sell these are the best products for this application.

Answer 3

you can however you need to lay down tile backer board or plywood before you do so. Look at using floating floor systems they have some that look like til and laminate hard wood looking floor. You would not need to lay the backer board for the floating system and it might be cheaper.