Is that being too lazy? I plan to nail down 3/8" plywood first. There's plenty of clearance beneith the door, and I believe I can buy an attachment for the toilet flange to compensate for the raised floor. I will have to make some special cuts to fit the plywood around the baseboard heater.

Is this a bad idea? I don't want to bother hacking up the existing floor if I don't need to. Can anyone give some tips on how to buy the right plywood, how to cut it, how to nail it down, and so on?

Thanks,

Roger

 

With vinyl composite tile(VCT) you need a good hardwood underlayment. http://www.sureply.com/
or http://www.tecply.com/

The installation instruction are within the website.


Now for ceramic tile, you will need to use a cement backer board made especially for tile and the situation your getting into.

If you have a concrete subfloor, then putting an underlayment down, isn't an option.

 

I want to put some ceramic tile over existing vinyl, if possible.

It's in the basement, so the underlying flooring is concrete.

I am concerned because the existing vinyl doesn't seem to be glued that well.

I could rip up the vinyl and remove the glue, but it would be far easier to just go over top.

It sounds like you can go over vinyl, but you will need backer board... is that right?

Thanks in advance for the feedback!
ML

 

Installing Tile Over Vinyl Or Linoleum Floor Coverings

Installing ceramic tile directly to vinyl or linoleum surfaces should be avoided whenever possible. Install at your own risk.

If you are concerned that your vinyl or linoleum flooring may contain asbestos fibers we recommend that you have it tested before attempting to remove it. For more information on asbestos, please refer to Asbestos In Your Home provided by the EPA.

In any case, vinyl or linoleum flooring must be a non-cushioned type and securely attached to the subfloor. (YOU INDICATE THAT YOUR VINYL IS NOT SECURELY ATTACHED.) Subfloor construction should consist of 1 ¼" thick exterior grade plywood installed over floor joists spaced a maximum of 16" on center. In addition, the maximum allowable concentrated deflection of the subfloor may not exceed L/360 of span.

If the floor covering does not contain asbestos fibers we recommend that the surface be scarified or sanded to provide a rougher surface for the thinset mortar to bond to.

Install ceramic tile using a latex modified thinset mortar approved by the manufacturer for installation over vinyl and linoleum surfaces.

Installing Tile Over Vinyl, Wood, & Concrete. Retrieved 13 November 2002. http://floorstransformed.com/installnotes.html