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mdduke09 · Jun 17, 2009, 06:49 AM

I am preparing to pur ceramic floor tile in my laundry room and back entry of my house. Currently, this area has Linoleum glued to a 1/4 inch very smooth wood underlayment that is glued and nailed to the 3/4 inch sub-floor. The house is a pier and beam foundation. This area of the house is only 8 to 9 feet wide with an outside wall and shafed foundation wall with the garage.

This area transitions to our Kitchen which has Bruce Hardwood flooring which is a floating floor and is only a 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick.

I've heard it is Ok to pur ceramic floor tile on top of the Linoleum. I am uneasy about this due to the adhesion of the thinset. I'd prefer to remove the Linoleum. It will peel somewhat easily.

So, is the 1/4 inch wood underlayment suffucient and Ok to put the tile on? I know the appropriate method is cement board but that would raise the tile at least a half inch above the kitchen wood floor at the transition point.

Trying to determine what to do?

ballengerb1 · Jun 17, 2009, 07:45 AM

The Linoleum should come up and most of the glue holding it down. Plywood is an acceptable base for tile but I would have used 1/4" Hardiebacker board, Wonderboard or cement board. The ply must be in great shape or tear it out too. What does this mean " pur ceramic floor "

mdduke09 · Jun 17, 2009, 08:17 AM

That was a typo. Should be 'put ceramic floor'

Bljack · Jun 17, 2009, 10:03 AM

Not only does the vinyl need to go, but all 1/4" plywoods are specifically excluded from the subfloor sandwich of a tile installation. Being post and beam, please post back with the joist size, and spacing. For minimizing the transition height between the bruce flooring and tthe new tile, a membrane, such as Noble CIS will outperform every cement board on the market and is only 1/16" thick once installed. Your joist spacing might dictate a requirement of additional plywood as well and cbu's don't like spacing greater than 19.2" oc.

JazMan · Jun 17, 2009, 11:30 AM

The sheet vinyl and the 1/4" ply definitely has to go. That 1/4" ply is probably luan or maybe OSB or particle board. You can NOT tile over any of those materials. Be aware of advice you receive either here or at stores, esp. the big box stores. There are some who really don't know much about the right way to install tiles or build showers.

Install 1/4" tile backer or a membrane such as Ditra. Ditra is a premium method and adds only 1/8". Do not cut corners of tile method installation just to get the doorways as flat as possible. You want the floors to be the same level?. Install the same flooring in all rooms.

Jaz