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(It's my hope, obviously, that I can tile over the old thin set as long as it is level and firmly attached.) Concrete is often used to make basement floors, patios and driveways because of its durability. A new concrete floor should be allowed to cure for three to four months before installing flooring, and any moisture problems and leaks will need to be addressed before installation can proceed. © Copyright 2020 Daltile. The concrete’s now quite mucky (unfortunately it was raining when the porch was installed) and it’s of course going to be pig to clean without making a mess of the inside of the porch (I can’t just hose the floor). Allow the floor to dry for at least … The concrete makes a firm surface that the tile requires. Finally, rinse thoroughly. You will need to use an acid-based solution, like muriatic acid, to rough up the surface if the top … Also, should the concrete crack, the crack can be treated (with an anti-fracture membrane) before it is tiled. The Concrete is in pretty good shape just has a few hairline cracks that run across it. Use a few tablespoons of a degreasing cleaner in warm water and scrub the concrete with a scrub brush. Use a level to ensure the repairs remain even with the rest of the concrete surface. Apply the grout and wipe off the excess grout with a damp or wet sponge. New concrete must cure a minimum of 28 days before either tiling or putting a dressing onto the new concrete. Any place that is cracked, chipped or beveled, must have concrete patch or leveling compound installed. Then clean with a wet mop of plain water. You can cover the floor with leveling compound to ensure you have a flat surface rather than only applying to areas you believe needs it. These cracks may eventually show up in tile or dressing applied before the 28 day curing period. If cement is not waterproofed, it can cause issues with the mortar used between the tiles. All Rights Reserved. Clearly, the longer you can wait before tiling, the less stress that will be applied to the tile by the concrete. Your concrete floor should be clean, dry, flat and free of adhesives. Embed a reinforcement mat and immediately apply a second coat of Barrierflex. Different types of tile must be installed for outdoor patios. Then clean with a wet mop of plain water. What are the benefits to allowing a sufficient cure time for the concrete? Hi I was about to use RedGard on a long bathroom's concrete floor before tiling. Your suggestion that the vulnerability is between the old and new concrete feels right, but the additional cost is very significant (and a surprise), so I am trying to find out why the builders tiler is saying we need it, for sure. Concrete sealant or paint prevents the adhesive from sticking properly. If you install tile in any wet areas of the home, seal the edges of the tile with caulk. Photo by: Lucie Rowe Lucie Rowe. Start by sweeping your concrete floor to get rid of all dust and debris. I am tiling straight onto the the concrete but with electric underfloor heating. Depending on your situation, you might need to consider things like installing a membrane, putting in floor heating, placing backer board, etc. Skip this step and we guarantee your new tile will crack right over the cracks in the concrete. Get the full life out of your tile with a level subfloor. Then prime the concrete (see Photo 2) with the recommended solution (consult the membrane manufacturer’s literature). If repairs are needed, hire a professional to avoid bigger problems later. Full strength may not be achieved for a period of 28days♨️but screeds should be kept moist for at least 7days ⚠️ to allow sufficient strength gain before drying is allowed. How well do I have to clean the concrete to get proper adhesion? His work includes media relations and copywriting technical manuals for Johnson & Johnson, HSBC, FOX and Phillip Morris. allow for at least 4 – 6 weeks before tiling). Tiles must never be stored in direct sunlight prior to fixing. Take some water and mop the surface to remove any dirt, dust or small debris. You need to clean any paint, sealant or glues from the surface of the concrete. 12-11-2007, 11:25 AM. Choosing to lay tile on a concrete slab is a good idea. Clean and prime the surface, allow to dry, and apply a liberal coat of ABA Barrierflex as a one-to-one mixture. After laying all the tile over the surface of the concrete slab, allow the tile to rest for 24 hours before finishing the tile. Use floor leveling compound for large holes or flaws in your cement floor. If you have large cracks or displaced concrete, this might be a sign of deeper problems. Getting it as dry as possible before applying a sealer is very important. Get as much paint off as you can, but a few spots won't make much difference. The most important factor is making sure the surface is smooth, with no dips or hills. Although you don’t need to install an underlayment between the concrete and the tile, you need to prepare the surface before placing the tile. Continue to step-by-step instructions There are two reasons for this: 1) As the concrete cures, drying and shrinkage cracks could occur. A clean surface helps you see smaller cracks that might need repair. Simply spray on the cleaner, use the brush to work it into the concrete. Let the primer dry, and then apply the membrane (Photos 3 and 4). You must use a trowel with notches on at least one side to apply the tile adhesive to the concrete. Newly-laid cementitious screeds and concrete contain relatively large amounts of water, which need to be retained while the cement binder is gaining strength. Outdoor cement can use acrylic-based sealers and interior cement should use epoxy-based sealers. Blot it dry to remove any residual water, then air dry. A clean surface helps you see smaller cracks that might need repair. I have a bath with a shower at one end. If yo have a small amount of this black glue and a concrete floor I have used a small propane torch to heat up the glue … There are different recommended sealers depending on the location of the cement. Knowing these technical details can help you make the best choice when selecting tile. Sealer is a barrier between the cement and the mortar that will keep moisture build-up away. Mix the compound and apply to all trouble areas. I can't use a thermal backer board for the heating due to floor height restrictions to adjoining floors. Deciding whether to seal the concrete is part of the preparation. [3] X Expert Source Art Fricke Home Renovation & Repair Specialist Expert Interview. There are four simple principles to help you prepare concrete floor for tile installation: clean, dry, patch, and level. N. nburgess . Consult with a professional. Remove dust. Finally, rinse thoroughly. The pros make quick work of this process, using a specialized hose to put the leveler right where it is needed without making a mess. It makes breakage much more likely than if the tile has a fully supportive surface. It’s best to check with a pro to ensure you have the right subfloor in place before you spread mortar and lay tile. Dirty or stained concrete can look unattractive, and difficult stains such as grease or oil won't always come clean with regular detergents. We have outlined key information to help. Re: Prepping painted concrete before laying tile. Uneven cement is death to tile. Hairline cracks of up to 2mm in concrete should be bridged. A sound surface is necessary when preparing concrete floor for tile installation. What You Need to Know Before Laying Tile on Concrete. You need to check the surface of the concrete to ensure it is level. The compound is a cement-based material that is thick enough to stay where it needs to be, but also flows well to fill in depressions to ensure your floor is flat. Brock graduated from the University of Southern California in 1980, earning a Bachelor of Arts in English. Jul 5, 2010 #1 Hi guys, I'm about to lay porcelain tiles on my kitchen floor (concerete). The tile is designed to resist the elements, while handling direct sunlight and frost better than indoor tiles. Well this seems fit to place my 1000 post. 06-27-2011, 09:22 AM. I am re-tiling my bathroom and I am unsure whether I need to tank around the bath and shower before tiling. Picking the right tile should not be difficult. If you live in a humid climate, you might want to wait overnight to allow excess moisture to evaporate. Once you have these under control, you are set for success. Was planing on using RedGard for crack prevention not for water proofing. Make sure the surface of the concrete is dry before applying any adhesive. Before I attempt to continue this process in the second bathroom, I would like to know if it is absolutely required to do so if it is well adhered to the cement underneath? Patch little cracks or holes with a cement patching compound. With all that what should I seal/stabilise the floor with first before I use the primer and then the cables for the heating. A concrete slab makes a good surface on which to lay tile. I do have some high performance thermal primer to use instead. Experience how easy tile installation can be with step-by-step tips from our experts. You will also see how to get the room ready to do the job properly. If you have the wood sub floor some times contractor used felt paper before installing the new floor and the felt is stuck down there which is easily removed. Use grout to fill in the cracks between the tiles. Step 3 a pressure washer is used to wash away residue. Cement’s biggest issue is keeping moisture under control. Adhesive sticks to the rough surface of the concrete and acts as a sealant for the pores of the concrete surface. Cracks and depressions may create weak spots that cause tile to crack in the future. Ensure your floor has thoroughly dried before proceeding. The bigger issue is that parts of the wooden subfloor unavoidably got damaged by the floor stripper and the scraper I used. Start with planning your wall-tile installation. EDIT: My subfloor is a concrete slab with the thin set on it. This increases the bond between the cement and the mortar, as well as decreasing mold growth. Use a few tablespoons of a degreasing cleaner in warm water and scrub the concrete with a scrub brush. Let the grout dry for about 1 hour, then use the wet sponge to remove any grout film left on the surface of the tile. 5 When you take time to prepare the concrete floor, you’ll have a better chance of creating an even tile … Preparation takes some time and effort, but it lays a strong foundation for a long-lasting tile floor. Step 1 - Clean. Trisodium phosphate, or TSP, is a strong and effective cleaner for tough stains on concrete surfaces. Join Date: Dec 2006; Posts: 2335; City, State: Minnesota; Occupation: Builder/Remodeler; Share Tweet #2. The notched trowel forms parallel ribs so the tile can be pushed into the surface. Once you clean all these agents off the top of concrete, you can begin preparing the surface. Use a trowel to apply and use the edge to ensure the patch has edges level with the surrounding concrete. After all, cracks and uneven areas in the concrete can cause damage to the tile above, and uncontrolled moisture in the concrete can destroy the mortar and loosen the tiles. Senior Member. • Ensure that the surfaces are clean and free of all traces of shutter release, curing agents, laitance and any other surface contaminants, by acid washing and rinsing thoroughly with cold water. garager. I finally got the extremely stubborn vinyl off the floor, i have small, thin areas of adhesive and backing to take care of still, but it's minor. 1 July 2020. For this part of the job, you'll need a stain remover (there are a number of commercial concrete cleaners available) and a stiff-bristled brush. If curling occurs (and it often does), the concrete can be ground before it is tiled. Use a wet mop to get any remaining dust from the cement floor. Allow to cure before tiling. It also increases the chances that you will get a better bond between the concrete and the next layer of your subfloor. As such, I’d need products that would cope with a bit of dirt on the concrete. * Note: The technique of layering means for you to apply one layer of filler and let it dry before you apply the next coat. Concrete sealant or paint prevents the adhesive from sticking properly. Let the surface of the concrete completely dry before installing tile. You will need to use an acid-based solution, like muriatic acid, to rough up the surface if the top of the concrete is still smooth. New concrete floors must be allowed to fully cure before tiling to ensure that any movement due to shrinkage does not affect the tiling (i.e. Cement is porous and draws moisture from the ground up through the slab. A cement subfloor can provide a great base for a tile floor. If you will be applying a self leveling underlayment, it’s recommended to apply a coat of primer before pouring the compound and another coat of primer on top of the dried levelling underlayment before tiling or waterproofing. Cut the membrane so it’s 1-1/2 times the width of your tiles. Rather than using cement boards (CBUs), the favored method is to use an uncoupling membrane. Had To Know: How to Slate Tile Over Concrete, Floors Transformed: Installing Tile Over Vinyl, Wood, & Concrete, Custom Patio Designs: Installing Tile Over Concrete, National Tiles: What Are The Differences Between Indoor And Outdoor Tiles. The ribs will collapse making a bed for the tile, between the surface of the concrete and bottom of the tile. The floor is only about 22 years old. If you have a concrete floor there are several removers at Home Depot you can use to remove the old glue. Let’s take a closer look at each of these. The shower will be fixed above the bath to a false wall made from Wbp ply. This is because self leveling underlayment is cementitious and can absorb water just like a substrate. Tags: laying, painted, prepping, tile. Do a precise measurement of the surface. If you attach the tile to concrete, you need to take special precautions by uncoupling the tile from the concrete. Once you clean all these agents off the top of concrete, you can begin preparing the surface. Waterproofing Concrete Before Laying Tile ... will need to be waterproofed. Tiling before the curling occurs can cause … should paint on a concrete floor be removed before installing tiles? We are having under floor heating on all the concrete, new and old and you are correct that we do not want a break in the tiling. Start by sweeping your concrete floor to get rid of all dust and debris. cl723. I'm laying 18-square inch porcelain tile on a wood floor with a very strong adhesive mixture added to my mortar. But without the right preparation, there will be no end of headaches and you may eventually replace the entire floor. Expert craftsman Chip Wade shares his must do's for hiring a tile installer. Residue from strippers or cleaners should also be cleaned and rinsed with water. 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