Any one here a Tile pro?

My wife decided she wants to put a tile floor in our kitchen, dining room, mud room, and laundry, about 415 sq. ft. total. The tiles are 12x12x1/4 ceramic floor tiles.I just did some prodding and it looks like our home, which is only 5 years old, has a single 3/4" t&g subfloor. I know this isn't substantial enough. Hardi-board type products really kill the budget. Could one reasonablly add another 1/2" BC ply (C up) to the existing floor and bed the tiles on the ply? I don't want to do tile if there's a good chance it will start disintegrating in a year.
Some sources say yes, some say no.

The second option is engineered hardwood, but with 2 small children and a large dog in the house, I have questions about how EH will hold up.

Re: Any one here a Tile pro?

Not a tile pro, but I do all my own floors and countertops. 1/2 inch backer board is a must IMHO. That said you will want to consider whats under your sub floor 2x6 or 2/8--- 12 inch O/C or 16 O/C Is you foundation stable. Hear in texas (East) houses moves a lot. All in all 1/2 inch backer is about 10 bucks for a 3x5 or 15 sq feet. about 70 cents a sq ft. Price the tile, thinset, grout, and sealer by the sq ft and the backer board isn't all that bad and you know it will be done right. I broke a 2x6 under the kitchen floor and cant get replacement tile. Guess what? I get to retile. I had used backer board but the seam was on the 2/6 and started to loosen the grout. The thing about tile is if its done right its low maintance for years

Re: Any one here a Tile pro?

Tile done right is almost worry free... Depending on your location though you will have to consider things like moisture and movement. In Michigan where I live I've always tiled to a cemented surface. I recently did my kitchen and put down 1/2" cement board over the subfloor. Then the Tile...

Re: Any one here a Tile pro?

JasonB said:

My wife decided she wants to put a tile floor in our kitchen, dining room, mud room, and laundry, about 415 sq. ft. total. The tiles are 12x12x1/4 ceramic floor tiles.I just did some prodding and it looks like our home, which is only 5 years old, has a single 3/4" t&g subfloor. I know this isn't substantial enough. Hardi-board type products really kill the budget. Could one reasonablly add another 1/2" BC ply (C up) to the existing floor and bed the tiles on the ply? I don't want to do tile if there's a good chance it will start disintegrating in a year.
Some sources say yes, some say no.

The second option is engineered hardwood, but with 2 small children and a large dog in the house, I have questions about how EH will hold up.

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Tile will last forever, provided it sticks to a solid base, so it's best not to cut corners there. I'll agree with the others on the cement board.

Children and pets will beat up any type of hardwood floor, pretty good in short order, so you should get much better wear with tile.

Re: Any one here a Tile pro?

Here in Middle-TN, moisture isn't too much of an issue. I believe the joists are 2x8 16" oc.

Would 1/2" cement board be sufficient with the existing subfloor? seems a bit light.

She's now considering laminate and engineered hardwood as well. Any thoughts on those?

Re: Any one here a Tile pro?

Jason, Not a "Pro" but done enough title to qualify. I have done tile over ply floor (early tiling project) that turned out OK. But would never repeat that mistake. On that floor I layed 3/4" ply (with PL500 construction adhesive and deck screws every 8") over a sub floor consisting of a layer of 1/2" ply covered with 11/16" partical board. You really need a solid base for those 12 by 12 tiles. IMO backer board bonded to the sub floor with thin set is the only way to go. Any give in the sub floor will translate into failed grout,and broken and loose tiles. Neither which are what you want. As for the 1/2" backer over the current sub floor. Providing you thin set it and screw it down as recommended you will be fine.

Re: Any one here a Tile pro?

Heres my 2 cents worth.....and I speak from the experience of buying a house with a tile floor, inspector didnt catch the fact that the bathtub had a small manufacturers defect in the faucet and was leaking water back down very slowly but over a 3 year period it caused about half of my bathroom floor and all of the framing around the tub to be rotted. I redid the entire thing with hardi and the reason was simple.....I didnt want to go down that road again. I even did the tub frame in two layers of hardi with mortor in between the layers and then screwed it down. This made it strong and I have to worry alot less than if there was wood there......Hardi is really cheap in comparison to doing it all over again...if I were you I would use hardi wherever there are water lines / pipes, etc. Plywood might be OK in a dining area by the kitchen but anywhere close to the sink...I would do hardi.

You will sleep better if you do!

Re: Any one here a Tile pro?

The kitchen is allways and issue

If you have a dishwasher and just tile up to the cabinets it will not be able to be removed

The floor is going to be and easy 3/4" thick


It was a lot of work BUT i pulled my base cabinets ,hardi board and tiles and put the bases back in IT payed off when i replaced the cabinets 5 years later as the floor was ready to go




Tommays

Re: Any one here a Tile pro?

Not an expert, but hardi-backer is my choice.

Doug

Re: Any one here a Tile pro?

Thanks for the replies. It became a moot point when she showed up with a truckload of laminate yesterday.