Floor prep

[saint1]

Hi
DIY project: I'm tiling my kitchen floor soon. I was planning to rip up the exisiting quarry tiles, but someone asked me the other day why not just tile over them. Is this possible?

Also, assuming I do take them up, its a concrete base underneath, do I need a liner/membrane to stop damp etc? If so, any tips from someone in the know on what to get etc.

Cheers








(Kye Hodgson)

 

[lancenotalot]

If they are solid/sound then you can tile over them but would need to use a porcelain adhesive.Check weather this will create a step between the rooms.
I normally like to get old tiles off first,if the floor is concrete underneath then then membrane will be under the concrete.

 

[saint1]

Thanks lancenotalot, have checked & can see the membrane where concrete meets the hallway (floor boards).
Cheers!

 

[Symptoms]

kye - usually quarry tiles (glazed) are impervious to water unless your are very old unglazed terracottas. In the old days 'quarry' tiles were often laid straight onto compacted sand (sometimes ash and even crushed shell), or onto a concrete base (usually with no membrane). They relied on imperviousness of the tile. There's no guarantee that there'll be a membrane unless the tiles were layed in the 'recent' past. Take one tile up in an unobtrusive corner, chip through the slab to see what's there; membrane = you could lift the tiles, no membrane = tile over if your levels are acceptable.