How to Tile over Floor Tile?

If you want to replace an old floor tiles surface, you might think that you can only do so by painstakingly removing the old tiles first. As long as the old surface is in a fairly sturdy condition, however, you can lay fresh marble tile over old tiles. Doing so simply requires a little more preparation than usual.

Check for loose tiles. Lightly tap on each old wall tiles with a wood mallet. If the sound is solid, the cement tile is fine. If the sound seems hollow, the tiles are loose and needs to be fixed. Chip away the old caulk or grout around the tiles and use a crowbar to lift up the old tiles. Work carefully to avoid damaging the old tiles.

Mix a small batch of thin-set mortar according to the manufacturer’s instructions and apply it to the back of the tiles. Lay the old tiles back in its place. If you had to adhere old, loose casstle tiles, wait 24 hours for the mortar to dry before moving onto the next step.

Mark high and low spots. Using a 4-foot (1.2-m) level, look for any abnormal high spots or low spots on the existing wood tile surface. Mark high and low spots with chalk. Use different symbols to distinguish one from the other. For instance, an “L” or flat line for a high spot and an “H” or triangle for a high spot. Make sure that all four corners of your high or low spot are marked.

Grind off any high spots. Use a right-angle grinder with a masonry wheel attachment to grind down any old small tiles currently creating a high spot in your floor. Periodically check your work using a level to verify that the spot is roughly even with the rest of the floor. Note that you can only fix high spots during this stage. You can remedy low spots later on.

Roughen the rest of the tiles. Sand down the entire design tiles surface using a belt sander or orbital sander with an 80-grit belt. Make sure that any surface glaze or finish has been thoroughly scratched.

A rough surface has more grooves in it for mortar to sink in, allowing the mortar adhere better. For that reason, roughing up the surface of the old tiles will make it easier for the new titles to stick in place. Alternatively, you could roughen the common marble tiles by using a bundle of steel wool if an actual belt sander is not available to you.

Remove any difficult grout. Most of the old grout will likely be fine to keep, but you should dig out any moldy or loose grout using a rotary tool or carbide scraper.

Clean the surface. Vacuum the surface with a heavy duty shop vacuum, then scrub down the surface with detergent and warm water to remove any further traces of grime and other debris.

The detergent must have the ability to degrease ceramic surfaces. Rinse the surface with clear water and dry up excess moisture with clean towels or rags. Let the remaining water dry by air for one to two hours.