I laid a new porcelain tile floor in my bathroom. Old linoleum tile floor was in good shape so I just laid right over the top of it. All turned out well except around the toilet. Two of the tile cracked when I screwed the toilet back down to the floor. Obviously I‘ll have to pull the toilet again, remove cracked tiles and start over....but how to I avoid the cracks again?
jac...dee, there are several reasons the tile could have cracked, but I wouldn't categorically state that the tile cracked around the toilet because you put tile over linoleum. It just depends on how stable the linoleum was when you put the tile over it. I've have tiled over lino and and it's going on 5 years without any problem. So, if the lino was in good condition, that's not the problem. I'm wondering if maybe you applied too much pressure by screwing the toilet screws down too tightly. It's a common mistake. You should only snug up the toilet screws and not over-tighten. You could cut out the linoleum around the floor in the area of the lino as someone else suggested. But if it's in good condition and lays flat, it shouldn't be a problem. Still, to be safe, maybe cut it away but then add a bit more mortar to ensure the tile is the same height as the rest of the tiled floor. Still, I would avoid tightening the toilet too tight. Only snug! good luck
The fact that those tiles cracked tells you that they were not supported from below. Your linoleum must be not well anchored there. You could try to cut out the linoleum and build up extra thin-set there to achieve the same height as the rest of the floor OR you could anchor the linoleum with extra glue where it was not supported before replacing your tiles. Personally, I prefer the first solution.
You should have done a better job from the start. Don't lay tile over vinyl period. How to maybe salvage your project without starting over. Remove the cracked tiles. Cut away the vinyl in the area lay the tile directly on the sub-floor and make sure you have adhesion. In addition to using notched trowel back butter the tile. Let it dry completely and grout. When you reinstall the toilet make sure you don't over tighten. This is not how I would tell you to lay tile, but your other choice is to rip everything up, including the vinyl and install a proper underlayment, like dura-rock and re-tile.
The floor under the toilet wasn't level so when the weight of the toilet went on top of the tiles it caused the tiles to crack. Make sure the tiles are back buttered as well as thinset on the floor and that they are level with each other. I would cut out any vinyl from around the toilet and then apply the tiles. Also wail for the thinset to dry for a couple days before installing the toilet so the tiles don't move.
Did you put a bead of plumber's putty on the bottom of the toilet prior to installing it? Porcelain toilet to ceramic tile needs cushion between them. Buy some plumber's putty and roll out a worm shape. Place it on the bottom of the toilet and keep doing this until the entire outter rim is covered. You know, by removing your toilet you will need to install a new wax seal, never re-use the old one.
