Installing Tile Over Vinyl Flooring

Tile can be laid directly over vinyl flooring on a concrete slab, if the vinyl in good condition and glued down securely.

When tiling over vinyl flooring on a wood subfloor, you should apply a layer of 1/2″ thick cement backer board first. Here’s how to go about it:

1. Apply thin-set adhesive to the vinyl flooring with a notched trowel.
2. Screw or nail 1/2″ cement backer board on top of the vinyl while the adhesive is still wet.
3. Apply thin-set adhesive to any joints in the backer board.
4. Embed fiberglass mesh tape in the adhesive while it’s still wet.
5. After the adhesive has set, apply tile to the floor using thin-set adhesive.
6. Allow the adhesive to set before grouting between the tile.

Watch this video to find out more.

Further Information

• How to Tile Over Vinyl Flooring (article)
• How to Lay Tile Over an Existing Vinyl Floor (video)
• Installing Tile Over a Wood Subfloor (article)
• How to Lay a Tile Floor (article)

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Danny Lipford: Martin asks, “Can I lay ceramic tile over a vinyl floor that’s on top of a wood floor?”

Yes, you can install ceramic tile directly over vinyl flooring if you are on a concrete slab. But if you are on a wooden subfloor like we are here, you’ll need to take an extra step.

First of all, you need to use a half-inch cement backer board, and install it directly over the vinyl, and use a thin-set adhesive to glue it down. Then use a coated nail to secure it very well to the subfloor.

Then, using the same thin-set adhesive and a trowel, you’ll trowel on the thin-set adhesive over all of the seams. Use a fiberglass mesh tape. And you kind of smooth out, just like you would an interior wall.

Then you have a fantastic surface to install any type of ceramic tile. And if you do it right, it’ll end up looking as nice as this.