How to Apply Tile Over Particle Board Underlayment
Particle board looks similar to plywood but is different. Instead of being constructed of layers of wood, it's made of pulverized wood that has been glued together and formed into sheets. This provides a hard, flat surface for the underlayment below carpeting and other types of flooring. Particleboard is not the ideal underlayment for tile, because it isn't as firm as cement board. However, if you have a particleboard underlayment already in place, it is possible to tile directly over it, as long as you're not in a bathroom or other area where there will be a lot of moisture. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Hammer
- Spiral flooring nails
- Sealing primer
- Paint roller
- Chalkbox
- Thin set (mortar)
- Notched tiling trowel
- Tile spacers
- Tile cutter
- Grout float
- Sponge
Instructions
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1
Re-secure the edges of the particle boards with a hammer and spiral nails to ensure there is no movement.
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2
Coat the floor surface with sealing primer using a paint roller. Let the primer dry for 24 hours.
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3
Divide the floor into four quadrants using a chalkbox to snap two intersecting lines from the middle of each edge of the floor to the middle of the edge across from it.
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4
Spread down thin set over the middle of the floor using a notched tiling trowel and covering about four square feet in one of the four corners formed by the two intersected lines.
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5
Press the first tile in place in the mortar at the intersection. Set a second tile next to it, with two spacers between them.
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6
Set additional tiles in place next the first ones, building out from the center of the floor to the perimeter. Put spacers between each of the tiles as you lay them. Spread more thin set as needed.
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7
Cover the entire floor. Cut the edge tiles as needed on a tile cutter, setting them with the cut sides facing the walls.
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8
Let the mortar dry for 12 hours. Remove the spacers.
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9
Lay grout over tiles with a grout float, pressing the grout into the spaces between the tiles while scraping it from the surface. Use a damp sponge to wipe up the excess grout. Let the grout set 24 hours before walking on it.
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