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hi,
Anyone ever try or can it be done?
Putting ceramic tile over old ceramic.
I have 16 by 16 tiles and at least 6 have a long crack.
I would like to redo 2 rooms.
thanks
I think it can be done--I seem to remember some home improvement show doing wall tile this way (not sure if it's recommended for floors though). You just need to make sure that the new tiles aren't lined up exactly with the old ones (don't want new grout lines right over top of old ones--they should be staggered a bit). And if your old tiles have a smooth polished finish you'll need to rough them up a bit so that the new tiles will adhere well to them. But I think it would add a lot of height to your floor if you did it that way so personally I would probably remove the old tiles. Also, if you have a bunch of tiles that have cracks in them, it could mean that the floor underneath isn't truly level, and if that's the case then your new tiles could crack too and I think then you'll need to pull up the old ones.
Hi, I hope it's not too late, but please don't install tile over tile. The long crack is definitely telling you that there is a subfloor problem. Your best bet is to remove all the tile and see what condition your subfloor is in. If you're on concrete, you may have a crack or as ecrane suggested it may not be level. Once the tiles are gone, have your floors ground down with a machine grinder until they're level. If you have a crack, use a product called mercrete that acts as a crack isolation membrane. This is an awesome product and will give you a lifetime warranty on the bond. If you're on a wood subfloor, the previous owners may not have used a proper underlayment or none at all. If it's wood, it should be layed over a product called hardibacker which is like a large sheet of concrete. The wood subfloor flexes and cracks the tile.
I noticed that we can spot paw prints from our three dogs on the light colored tile, very often...Can anyone tell me the best or recommended way of cleaning ceramic floor tile? We were told to use, water and vinager for one week, to make sure the coloring will not fade.
Your tile is ceramic? If so, ceramic tile is super easy to maintain with just about anything. The water and vinegar is actually a good cheap way to clean the floor, but feel free to use any cleaner other than straight bleach or harsh chemicals. I use simple green, mister clean, lysol kitchen cleaner, amonia, or anything you like to use. Just put a little in a big bucket of water and mop away. when you're done, rinse the floor and if it's glossy tile you'll need to dry it with an old towel. I have a dog and for quick dog-print clean up, the wet jet swiffer works great (although not for deep cleaning).
As for the color not fading - who told you that??? If it was someone from a flooring store, they clearly do not know what they are talking about and should be fired. Ceramic tile does not fade, and especially not from a cleaner - that's the craziest thing I've ever heard. If you have mexican pavers with a stain on them, that would be the only thing I can think of that might change color since they're so porous and the color wears off.
Gosh, thanks so much for the info... HUH? Isn't all tile ceramic? "oops" Im not sure what kind it is... (lol) I do think i'll just pick up one of them "wet jet swiffer" as you mentioned... (smile) Tks again for the post!
In fairness to the salesperson, he or she may have been referring to the grout being affected by cleansers until its fully cured. (Glazed ceramic tile should not fade or become discolored by any cleanser - it's an extremely hard and durable surface.)
If you haven't yet sealed your grout, you should check with the flooring store to see what they recommend for your particular grout product and color.
Bleach and certain other household cleansers can definitely affect the appearance (and durability) of grout if applied before it's sealed (as can plain old ground-in dirt from failing to seal it properly right off the bat.)
Okie Dokie... ((Thanks)) for all of your suggestions and advice... Terry & Snswift...I actually prefer carpeting (lol) but the doggies found all the spot where the former owner's dog had accidents and then with all the hot weather here in Tx... we figured "tile" was the way to go...
