How to Lay Ceramic Tile Over Linoleum Flooring
Replacing your linoleum floors with ceramic tile has one distinct advantage over replacing other types of flooring: Linoleum does not have to be removed. You can install your new tile floors directly on top of the linoleum. Check to make sure that the additional height of the tile will not create a problem when crossing the threshold from one room to another. Once you have determined that the floor heights will work, start laying down tile. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Medium-grit sandpaper
- Vacuum
- Tape measure
- Pencil or chalk line
- Tile
- Tile adhesive
- Tile cutter
- Trowel
- Grout
- Grout float
Instructions
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Lightly sand the linoleum. Work medium-grit sandpaper over the tops of the floors to create texture for the tile adhesive to grip.
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Vacuum the linoleum floors to remove all dust and debris. You want a completely clean surface for tile installation.
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Find the center of the floor by measuring the length of all four walls. Mark the center of each wall where it meets the floor. Draw a straight line on the floor from one center mark to the center mark on the opposite wall. Draw a second line connecting the center marks on the other two opposing walls. The two lines will intersect at the center of the room. Starting at the center of the room will make the floors more visually appealing and will prevent all of the cut tiles from being placed on one side of the room.
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Spread tile adhesive on the floor with a trowel. Work in small, 6-by-6 areas to keep the adhesive from drying before you can get the tiles set. Set the center tile in the adhesive. Press the tile firmly into the adhesive. Place spacers on all four sides of the tile.
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Set the tiles surrounding the center tile. Continue pressing tiles into the adhesive, working from the center of the room outward until you have set all of the whole tiles.
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Cut tiles for the perimeter of the room. Measure the space left for the cut tiles. Leave enough room on all sides for grout. Set the spacers down to help you determine the measurements. Use a tile cutter to cut the tile. Set the cut tiles into the adhesive. Allow the adhesive to dry overnight.
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Spread grout over the tops of the tiles with a grout float. Work the grout into the space between tiles until the entire space is full. Run the grout float over the tiles two or three times to make sure the grout is fully compacted.
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Wipe away the excess grout from the tops of the tiles with a wet sponge. Clean the sponge often. Continue cleaning the tiles until all of the grout has been removed. Let the grout dry.
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References
- Photo Credit square tiles image by Daria Miroshnikova from Fotolia.com
