You can lay tile can directly over a concrete slab using thin-set adhesive. The only prep work needed is to remove any old adhesive or paint and clean the concrete first.

Before laying tile over a plywood subfloor, cement backer board needs to be nailed or screwed to the floor. Next, apply fiberglass tape embedded in thin-set adhesive over the seams in the backerboard.

After the seams have dried, apply thin-set with a notched trowel to secure the tile.

Watch the video above to find out more.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Danny Lipford: When people remodel bathrooms, they often ask if they have to prepare the floor at all before laying ceramic tile. The answer depends on what is beneath the finished flooring or the subfloor.

If the subfloor is a concrete slab, there’s very little preparation necessary. You simply scrape off any old adhesive or paint residue, and clean the surface before applying the thin-set adhesive that will secure the new ceramic tiles.

If the subfloor is wood, it will need to be covered with cement backerboard first. Wood and masonry materials expand and contract at different rates, so the backerboard creates a continuous surface that will move with the tile.

After it is nailed or screwed to the subfloor, the seams are covered with fiberglass tape. Then those seams are covered with thin-set adhesive.

Once all of this is dry, you’re ready to apply more thin-set for laying the tiles, just as you would have on a concrete slab.


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Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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