I want to tile over concrete how do i do so????

Question

Do I need a special glue or something? Please help I don't have a clue...

Answer 1

To attach ceramic tile to a concrete floor you do this:
step 1: clean floor (vacuum)

step2: You need a towel, smooth one side notched the other, and a product called "thinset". Its a cementious material, comes in a drymix and just add water until you get a slurry...kind of like a pancake batter.

Step3: Trowel the thinset on the conc. floor and match sweeping curves with the notched side of the trowel. Do enough are to do 2-3 tiles at a time

Step 4: Place tiles. You can get floor suction cups to help pick up and place them carefully. Use tile spacers, typical in a floor is 3/16" spacers.

Step 5: Let the tile and thinset cure, 48 hours minimum...more if it is cool out.

Step 6: Some of the thinset will have squeezed up between the tiles, it needs to be removed so the joint will accept mortar. All tile spacers must come out...do not leave them in. For cleaning the grout lines of thinset...i found a utility know works best.

Step 7: vacuum up all the thinset peices

Step 8: Using a rubber back trowel push mortar into the tile joints. The mortar should be the consistancy of pancake mix. Pack it in really well...this is back breaking and labout intensive. One you start don't stop as you can get unsightly joints.

Step 9: After about 20-30 minutes depending on temperature, Using a sponge (rounded edged sponge) and water and wash the tiles. The point of this is not to get the tiles clean...but to seal the mortar joint and clean off any excess. If you wait to long...the mortar can set to the tile surface making i a real pain to clean.

Step 10: Let the mortar cure....min 24 hours....mop up the mess.

For cutting tiles get a tile cutter (motorized), they really speed things up. If you have alot of corners and jogs, dryset the whole floor first. Nibblers are available for doing curves (like little pliers). On floor tiles...a dremel does not work, but a dremel works wonderful on thin wall tiles.

Thats it in a nutshell. Just so you know...floor tile is NEVER installed with adhesive, adhesive is for wall tile only.

Good luck.

Answer 2

OK, this answer is coming from a Home Depot associate... So you know you can trust it.

First, are you laying ceramic, natural stone, marble, a porous stone, or Vinyl? Next, are you laying this inside or out side? For the stones or ceramic inside, use a mortar called Versabond. This is a mortar with a psi rating of 518. That means it would take 518 pounds of pressure per square inch to break it's bond from a stone or ceramic to concrete. It's about $14 a 80lbs bag, don't get tempted by the $4 a bag mortar, they require a latex additive to increase their bonding strength. If your working outside use Flexbond. Since the seasonal changes may cause the concrete to contract and expand, this mortar is specially fortified to handle these changes.
If you are using Vinyl, I hope you are using it inside and this requires any Vinyl adhesive. If it is VCT (Vinyl Composition Tile), these are the tiles you usually see at schools or commercial buildings. Just make sure the adhesive is for VCT.

I hope I helped.

Just stop at your local home depot and buy

Answer 3

Concrete is a good substrate for tile. A "thin set" mortar adhesive or a mastic could be used. Thin set would be preferred for a floor. This does require some special cutting tools and some "know how" it probably is not a beginner project. Get a book on tiling at a home improvement store and see if this is something you want to learn.

Answer 4

If you're going to lay ceramic tile, make sure that your concrete floor is not allowing moisture through it first. Get a good sized hunk of plastic sheeting and tape a big square of it down on the floor. Seal it all the way around with tape. Let is sit for a day, and then take it up. If the bottom side of the plastic sheet is dry, you are good to go; if not, you'll want to seal the floor first.

Next, check for high and low spots. You can lay a straight edge on the floor and verify thet is lays on the floor for it's entire length. If there are any deflections of 1/4" or more, you'll need to use a product like "Thinset" mortar to build up the low spots; the high spots will have to be ground down (messy!).

I prefer to set ceramic tile in "mud". The mud base holds well, is easy to work with, and takes care of any slight imperfections in the floor.

If you're a total newbie, get a "how to" book at the big box store.

Good luck.

Answer 5

No need for underlayment. You lay the tile directly to the concrete with the proper adhesive. There are water based adhesives that you apply directly out of the container and others thinsets that you mix with water, let it sit for a while, and then apply. But this is not a DIY for someone without the proper tools and skills. It's too detailed a process for a beginner to do without some on site help in my opinion.

Answer 6

the company Armstrong makes a great vinyl composite tile that can be laid directly on concrete. The tile cost about 60 cents a square foot . I did my basement with this and am very happy with the result. The adhesive can be applied with a paint roller. The tile can be cut with a utility knife. I purchased our tile at Home Depot.

Answer 7

It totally depends on the tile material, as far as how to attach it....ceramic tile is easiest to do on concrete, but you mention glue so must be you are wanting to use a vinyl type. Uae an underlayment (processed board) first attached to concrete with special adhesive, then tile with other adhesive to the underlay. It's really quite simple and inexpensive....good luck.

Answer 8

Use any tile mortar that you can get from home improvement stores. Spread it with a trowel. Just make sure the floor is clean before applying the mortar.

Answer 9

consider 'Hanks' advice carefully..he has it figured out .
If i were doing it,..I would befriend my local hardware store ..lumber yard... or builders supply...they employ people who have experience and skills in areas like that.
As with any type of construction, there will be things come up that are ...uummm...inconvienant..?, and you will need some one who has figured out some options,..or alternatives,.. you know what i mean?
Nothing is impossible if you are versatile and inventive...threes always a 'way'...even if it seems illogical.
That's what makes the .trades' so attractive to so many people.