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Question:

Laying down ceramic floor tiles.?

Can you lay down ceramic floor tiles over existing natural wood flooring? And if so, do you have to strip down the wood flooring first?

Answer:

Trust Rob S. Think about it- wood expands and contracts with the dry and humid seasons. There's no way you are going to get grout to stay in it and you are going to have tiles popping up everywhere- DON'T DO IT! Don't say I didn't tell you so!
Now why would you want to cover up a natural wood floor? You can lay the tiles on top of it. you would have to strip the floor first of any wax build up. use an adhesive made for tiles then grout in the gaps. Doors will need to be shaved on the bottom so you will have a quarter inch clearance. Any Lowe's, 84, or home Depot will have helpful instructions along with the materials needed.
You are not to apply tile over a regular wood flooring, backer board or no backer board. Wood flooring must be removed and you must start with the excisting sub floor and and tile or add a backer board to meet TCA and TCA tile code standards.This is a minimum thickness of 1 1/4 of flooring with the backer board put down in a correct manner.Putting something over the wood flooring will break because on the constant moving ( heat and humidity swelling) of a wood flooring. ANY questions you can e mail me through my avatar and check my qualifications there..GL
It will probably make the floor too high for the floor it butts up to. You need to remove the wood floor - doors will not close either.
you really should pull the vinyl up, even if it's a hassle, because it could buckle in the future and affect your tile work. Go to your home store and see if they have a solvent that will loosen the adhesive holding the vinyl down, then scrape it all up. Hopefully it will be concrete underneath and not another layer of vinyl (happened to us in a kitchen once). Clean it really well, then do your tiling. Be sure to use the correct adhesives and grouts. There is also a sealer you can use that will insure the grout never stains, something *she* will appreciate when she never has to get on the floor with a toothbrush to clean out the muck between the tiles. :) Good luck and happy holidays!

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