I just purchased some floor tiles that are suppose to be easy to install. All the direction say you have to do is just attach them to your floor (it sticks on one side) but they won't stick to my floor! (on my bathroom floor, they already have tiny cement tiles on them, nonremovable) i really dont want to take them back, but i need some advice on what i can use to make them work on my bathroom floor, because i hate the tiling thats already there, could someone please help. Mature, helpful answers only, thank you! :)
Alright first thing first. The self stick tiles you bought are generally used for a quick fix type of project. While they do stick to most surfaces they do not have a commercial type of adhesive on the back of them. Uses: sticking to wood, concrete, vinyl, drywall, painted surfaces temporarily. Wont stick to metal, or tile. That being said. For your application what you want to do is 1) go to hardware store and ask the floor guy for premixed embossed leveler or Ardex floor patch. While you are there get a flat trowel to go with it. The premix is really what you want because it is already at the right consistency for your application. Also sometimes they hide it in the paint dept. But the floor guy will know. 2) go home open the tub and pour about half of in on the floor. The Emboss leveler is self leveling and will flow to the grout joints but use your trowel and help it out some. The goal is not to cover the floor completely but just to fill cracks and make a flat surface. 3) let it dry for a day... once it is dry sweep and start laying your tile. Please keep this in mind. Moisture is the bain of all floor products glued down. With self stick tile there is a seam all the way around the tile for water and moisture to penetrate. You are putting down a temporary floor keep this in mind. Hope this helps, Good luck
You are going to have to scuff(sand )the surface of the tiles to allow adhesion. You will need to thoroughly clean after sanding the area(vacuum, wipe). Test one area first before applying the tile to the rest of the floor. If you have problem areas where the tiles just don't stick you will need to get a waterproof bonding agent that seals exceptionally well. Use a sealant afterwards for repel water.
Make sure the pre-existing tiles are completely clean and free of any type of debris... then purchase some special glue for flooring from your local Home Depot or Lowes'... it comes in a can, get a elcheapo paint brush and paint each area of the existing tiles first where you plan to lay each of the new square ones... I did this in my bathroom and utility area... it turned out great!
I like DaFinger's answer. Level it with Fix-All; What I'd do, and I haven't done it with tile like yours, is add Elmer's waterproof wood glue to the water you use to mix into the Fix-All. It serves as a bonding agent, making the plaster at once denser and more flexible, helping it to keep from chipping-up. Maybe paint a little of the glue onto the tiles just before you mix-up the plaster (Fix-All) and try to get the plaster down before the glue on the tiles sets up. This will increase adhesion of the plaster to the tile. After this dries well, sand it off a bit, using a full sheet (more or less) of sandpaper on a flat 2x4 about ten inches or so long. Any deformities may be translated to the surface after you're done, so it should be made smooth as possible. Then go over it with a wet sponge a couple of times to remove the dust and let it dry again. Then tile. Good luck!
The floor you are going to place the stickable tiles must be flat with a dust free surface. It is virtually imposible to put sticky tiles over ceramic tiles because of the valleys between the tiles. Here are some options. You would either need to remove the existing tiles, its a tough but necessary evil. Then smooth out the floor underneath. Another option would be to fill in the gaps between the ceramic tiles to make the whole floor flat. Smooth out or sand what you put down to ensure flatness. If you sand, wipe the floor with a damp rag than vaccuum thoroughly. The only other problem I can see is if you have rough surfaces on the existing ceramic tiles. Self sticking tiles will not stick to them. If this is the case, you can get a surface coating from any building material/flooring store to cover the floor. The sticky tiles will stick to that. Hope this helps and Best of Luck!
