How to Install Tile on Wood

Tile floor

Cement floors make it very easy for homeowners to install floor tiles. Unless the floor is not level, there is no need to change the cement floor in preparation for the tiles. On the other hand, it is also easy to modify a wood subfloor and make it tile installation ready. Tile floors can have a topnotch appearance even when installed by a do-it-yourselfer on a wood floor.

Things You'll Need

• Screws
• Screwdriver
• Pry bar
• Hammer
• Broom
• Cement backer board
• Construction-grade glue
• Cement backer board screws
• Thinset mortar
• Fiberglass mesh tape
• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Chalk line
• Tile
• Tile spacers
• Tile saw
• Grout
• Rubber float
• Sponge
• Water

Instructions

1. Walk over the wood subfloor to check for squeaks. Use a screwdriver and screws to fix squeaks in the subfloor.

2. Remove the baseboards from the walls with a pry bar and a hammer. Be careful not to break the baseboards unless you plan on replacing them.

3. Sweep the wood floor. It is important to have a clean surface to start with before applying the cement backer board.

4. Lay the cement backer board. For added floor strength, try to stagger the seams of the cement board between the seams of the plywood subfloor beneath it. Apply construction-grade glue to the backer board, and screw it into place with backer board screws, or nail it with galvanized nails.

5. Tape the seams of the cement board, using a thinset mortar and fiberglass mesh tape.

6. Find the center of the room by measuring the room's width and length, marking the midpoint of each wall and snapping a chalk line between the midpoints of opposite walls.

7. Dry fit the tile. Lay the tiles without mortar, starting at the center and working out, using the chalk lines as guides. Do not skip this procedure, as it will allow you to see how much tile will need to be cut along the walls.

8. Mix and apply the thinset mortar. Starting at the intersection of the lines, apply a small amount of mortar with a notched trowel. Place a tile in place, and make sure it is firmly seated. Repeat with the entire room, using the chalk lines as guides and placing tile spacers between the tiles.

9. Cut the tiles along the walls and in closets with a tile saw, and lay the cut tiles. Allow the mortar to set overnight.

10. Mix and apply the grout with a rubber float. Get the grout into the all of the joints between tiles. Remove the extra grout with a wet sponge. Let the grout dry overnight, and reattach the baseboards.

References

• Construction Videos: How to Lay Tile