How to Install Saltillo Tile Over a Wood Floor and Crawl Space

Saltillo tile can add color to your home.

Tile is a good choice for your home in areas that can get wet, like the kitchen, bath and laundry room. It's possible to lay tile on a wood floor over a crawl space with the proper preparation. Take special care when handling saltillo tile--a variety of terra cotta tile--since it is likely to break easily. The do-it-yourself handyman can install saltillo tile over a wood floor with a crawl space with the proper tools and subfloor preparation.

Things You'll Need

• Trim pry bar
• Hammer
• Trim pliers
• Pencil
• 4-foot carpenter's level
• Marker
• Self-leveling compound
• 30-lb. felt paper
• Framing stapler
• Fiberglass tape
• Scissors
• 3/8-inch cement board
• Power screwdriver
• Cement board screws
• Tape measure
• 3/8-inch notched trowel
• Thinset adhesive
• 1/4-inch spacers
• 3/8-inch spacers
• Chalk snapline
• Wet saw
• Foam trowel
• Thinset mortar
• Colored grout
• Sponge
• Bucket
• Clean water
• Grout sealant
• Paintbrush

Instructions

Prepare the Floor

1. Remove baseboards and trim from where you are installing the tile floor. Use a trim pry bar to remove the trim. Use trim pliers to remove the nails through the back side of the trim. Number the trim with a pencil and save to reinstall after the tile project is complete.

2. Slide a 4-foot carpenter's level on its edge around the floor to make sure the floor is level. Look for gaps that will appear between the floor and the level. Mark these low spots with a marker.

3. Apply a self-leveling compound to the low areas. Follow the application instructions on the product description for use. Allow this to dry.

4. Lay out a layer of 30-lb. felt over the floor. Tack it in position with a framing stapler. This acts as a vapor barrier to keep the moisture from the crawl space out of the room. The tar paper separates the wood from the concrete board and makes the subfloor quieter and protects the wood from moisture that can get trapped between the wood and concrete.

5. Apply a layer of 3/8-inch cement board to the wood floor. Stagger the joints so that no two pieces of cement board align with each other. A common practice is to start every other row with 1/2 sheet. Use a circular saw with a masonry blade for this step. Screw the cement board down with the screws that came with the cement board, using a power screwdriver.

6. Apply a coat of thinset adhesive with a 3/8-inch notched trowel to fill all the joints between the pieces of cement board. Cut pieces of fiberglass tape with scissors and lay them over each joint before the thinset has a chance to set. Apply another thin layer of thinset over the fiberglass tape, working it into the joint, and feather out the edges as you work.

Laying the Tile

1. Lay out the floor pattern on the cement board, using dry tiles. Place the 1/4-inch spacers between the tiles for precise alignment. Adjust your pattern as needed so that you control the cuts at the perimeter of the tiles for the best appearance. Mark the cement board with a marker along the perimeter for the two reference lines that will run both directions along the floor. Remove the tiles and snap a chalk line between the lines. This provides you a reference line for installing the tiles.

2. Apply a 24-inch square area of thinset to one of the four areas where your reference lines cross in the center of the room. Use a notched 3/8-inch trowel at a 45-degree angle to apply the thinset.

3. Place the tile over the thinset, making sure the two edges align perfectly with the reference line. Place 3/8-inch plastic spacers between the other tiles as you gently push them into the thinset to set the tile. The spacers ensure that the grout lines remain straight and even during the tile installation.

4. Apply the remaining tiles in the same manner for the remainder of the room. Cut tiles as needed before you apply the thinset for the next section. Dry-fit them to be sure that they fit before applying the thinset. Let the tiles stand overnight. Use a wet saw to cut the tiles outdoors.

5. Apply colored grout to the saltillo tiles. Use a foam trowel to apply the grout to the tiles at a 45-degree angle to the tiles. This forces the grout into the grout line. Mix the grout to the specifications on the label. This is normally to a consistency of peanut butter.

6. Wipe of the excess grout with a clean foam sponge with swipes at 45 degrees to the grout line. Wring the sponge out constantly in a bucket of water, and wipe at an angle to the grout line. This keeps the sponge from pulling the grout out of the space between the tiles. Repeat this step until all grout haze has been removed from the tiles. Allow the grout to dry.

7. Apply sealant to the grout lines, using a paintbrush.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear kneepads when working on the floor.

• Wear safety glasses and a dust mask when cutting the concrete board and tiles.

References

• Fort Worth Brick and Tile: Saltillo Facts
• Your Information Guide to Tile and Stone: Cutting Tile Tools
• The Tile Shop: Do it Yourself