Tile Floor Subfloor Requirements

A subfloor is the bottom most structural level of your floor.

Tile floor subfloor requirements.

Vinyl is one of the few types of floors that can be safely installed over concrete wood or other solid floors. Regardless of the material it must be at least 1. The floor joists are 2x10s spaced 24 on center and running lengthwise. To keep this type of flooring resilient against wear and tear you must install it correctly before it s used.

It supports your decorative floor finish whether it s carpet hardwood vinyl laminate or tile. The maximum span is 14 ft as a steel i beam breaks the floor into two sections of 14 ft. However you re not out of the woods. The subfloor must be structurally sound as well as thick and stable enough to hold the weight of the tile without moving or flexing.

Preparation for installing floor tile depends on the type of subfloor in the room you are tiling. 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. Subflooring requirements for tile floors to meet tca stiffness requirements floor framing should be no more than 16 inches on center with minimum 19 32 inch plywood subflooring. Measure and cut 1 4 inch or thicker plywood with a circular saw to fit the entire floor of the room where you are installing vinyl flooring.

For this reason ceramic and porcelain tile floors can be considered somewhat delicate despite the inherent strength of the material. To determine the requirements for a tile subfloor i partnered with jim and rich from diamond tile located here in maryland. The subfloor is 23 32 t g osb with inch lauan and sheet vinyl over top. Concrete expands and contracts and that type of movement can also crack the tiles and the grout.

Upgrading to 23 32 inch plywood will stiffen the subfloor by almost 80 and provide a more solid feeling floor. 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. The basement ceiling is finished in drywall so i do not have access from below. For more information download our pdf about types of subfloors.

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.