Q. We plan to
update our bathroom, and the old vinyl floor has got to go—in favor of tile.
I’m concerned, though, because a friend told us there might be asbestos in the
vinyl. Can we just tile over the top of it?
A. Yes,
chances are you can tile right over it. And you might not have to deal with the
asbestos issue at all.
Ceramic tile requires a
stiff base to keep it and the grout from cracking. So the first thing you have
to do is check the thickness of your floor. You can usually figure the
thickness by pulling up a floor register or removing the door threshold. If the
ceiling is open below the floor, you can often tell from where plumbing
penetrates the floor. As a last resort, remove the toilet and examine the area
around the ring; you’ll have to pull the toilet anyway at some
point.
If your floor framing is
spaced 16 in. apart, the combination of subfloor plus underlayment (a second
layer of plywood directly under the vinyl) should add up to at least 1-1/8 in.
If it’s 24 in. apart, it should add up to 1-1/2 in. Since your floor has a
vinyl covering, it probably isn’t stiff enough for tile. Then use tiling Method
1, and add either 1/4- or 1/2-in. cement board to build it up. Keep in mind
that in doing so, you’ll be raising the floor level 1/2 to 3/4 in. (cement
board plus 1/4-in. tile), which means that you’ll have to trim the door, raise
the vanity, extend the toilet ring, and make a new transition to the
hallway.
If your floor is already
stiff enough, you can lay the tile directly over the vinyl using Method 2. With
this method you only build your floor up 1/4 in. However, if you choose this
method, you should be aware of the asbestos issue. Asbestos is a known
carcinogen that was used in many products including vinyl tile, asphalt tile,
sheet flooring and adhesives made until 1980. So if your floor was laid after
1980, it won’t contain asbestos unless the installer used older materials. You
can clean and sand it to improve tile adhesion, or even tear it
out.
However, if you have an
older home, and don’t know when the floor was laid, do not sand it or disturb
it. Simply strip off the old grime and wax with an ammonia-based cleaner. When
it’s dry, apply a little tile adhesive and let it dry to test for good
adhesion. If thin-set mortar with an acrylic additive doesn’t stick well, try a
mastic-type adhesive. Both are available at home centers and tile
stores.
In any case, tighten any
loose flooring by screwing down the entire surface with galvanized wood screws
spaced every 6 in. Add more screws in obviously loose
areas.
METHOD 1: Tile with underlayment
Click image to enlarge.
METHOD 2: Tile without underlayment
Click image to enlarge.
