What Type Of Subfloor For Bathroom Tile

When installing a ceramic tile floor on a concrete subfloor you don t have to worry about flexing as long as the concrete slab is at least 1 1 8 inch thick which most slabs are.

What type of subfloor for bathroom tile.

Kitchen cabinets or bathroom fixtures above can also add to the dead load. There are various types of tile underlayment but all serve to smooth out uneven. Concrete expands and contracts and that type of movement can also crack the tiles and the grout. However you re not out of the woods.

That usually means the underlayment and the subfloor also get wet. By choosing the right material from the start your bathroom will stand a better chance of withstanding long term damage. Install a cement based backer board following the manufacturer s instructions. Preparing your subfloor for tile in this video learn how to prepare a wood or concrete subfloor for tile including such steps as checking for dips installing backerboard applying primer and thinset pouring liquid underlayment and when to use osb or exterior grade plywood.

The bathroom floor gets wet. This provides a solid surface under the tile that prevents flexing that could lead to cracking. The floor must also handle the weight of the tub shower tiles and other fixtures. A concrete slab makes for a very hard solid durable and often very smooth subfloor.

Tile and stone flooring can be installed directly over concrete but most other flooring materials require some kind of underlayment and or a moisture barrier laid over the concrete. Excess moisture in the subfloor is a common reason for early replacement of bathroom flooring but it can be prevented by choosing the right material from the beginning. Some form of subfloor is found beneath every type of floor whether it is hardwood carpet cermic tile natural stone vinyl or laminate and choosing the right subfloor material and installing it correctly is the key to a great floor that performs well and lasts for decades. Use a polymer modified thin set a type of mortar to attach the backer board to the subfloor.

Because of issues of moisture movement and adhesion ceramic tile will work well with certain types of subfloor underlayment systems and can go dramatically wrong with other subfloor materials. A tile floor consists of three individual layers. Tile floors are especially heavy with layers of cement board mortar tile or stone and grout. Tile floors are likely to weigh 15 to 20 pounds or more when you add the framing ceiling below subflooring tile and setting materials.

This is fine for wood carpeting and resilient flooring but not for ceramic tile.