How to lay tiles on a wood floor

Tiles are one of the most popular coatings, which have impressive technical characteristics and are also an ideal choice in terms of price/quality ratio. But this coating is used not only in many rooms of a city apartment, but also in private houses. How to lay tiles on a wooden floor? What features should be taken into account and how to avoid annoying mistakes? You can handle this procedure yourself without resorting to the help of specialists. You will learn how to do this in this article.

Is it possible to lay tiles on a wooden floor?

Most masters do not recommend this procedure. And there are several reasons for this.

First of all, the service life of these two materials differs significantly. Wood will deteriorate much faster than ceramics, which will lead to displacement of the base and, consequently, to the breaking of the tile. In addition, experts warn that the floor will become very cold. If you are used to warm wood, then at first using cold ceramics can be quite unpleasant.

The condition of the wood will also be affected by the fact that under the tiled layer it will not be able to “breathe”, that is, be exposed to air.Under such conditions, natural material will deteriorate faster, which means that the shelf life of such a coating will become even shorter.

But, despite all these disadvantages, sometimes the need to put tiles on wood still arises. This happens when the floor is constantly exposed to moisture.

How to lay tiles on wood

There are several different ways to perform this procedure. Each of them has its own characteristics, so in order to choose the most suitable one, you need to familiarize yourself with them all.

Dry leveling method

Before starting work, it is necessary to level the base. Laying is done on sheets that are used to level the floor on the joists. In this way a wide variety of materials can be used.

These materials are usually laid in two layers, but it also happens that the initial state of the base requires only one layer. The slabs are attached using self-tapping screws, but it is important to take into account the installation pitch so that the slabs do not wobble during walking and further use.

ATTENTION! In rooms where there is a high level of humidity, and where the floor is constantly exposed to water, it is necessary to treat the coating with waterproofing.

In this way, you can protect the wood from premature rotting and the unsuitability of the entire floor. In addition, priming is an important step.

Wet screed

Another method is used that will significantly increase the strength of the wooden base. This is a tie that is quite wide and is not attached directly to the tree. It is separated from everything else by a waterproofing material.

Before starting work, the base is also leveled.Most often this happens with the use of cement-based solutions.

Fast surface preparation

With this option, sheets of plasterboard are laid as a separating layer between the wood and the tiles. They are positioned so that the edges do not overlap each other.

ATTENTION! Sometimes cardboard is laid in two layers, which increases the strength of the base and allows you to lay the tiles so that the owner is as satisfied as possible with the result.

The cardboard is attached using a special glue that can be purchased at the store. Choosing glue is a responsible task that requires special attention. The quality of fixation depends on it.

If the wooden floor is in poor condition

If the inspection of the wooden base does not give a very positive result and the floor is in poor condition, then you will have to replace it entirely.

In this case, you can choose one of two options: either lay the same wooden covering and then cover it with ceramic tiles, or use a cement screed.

If we remember the huge number of disadvantages that the option of combining wood and tile has, of course, cement will be the best choice.

IMPORTANT! Please note that in wooden houses the floors between floors are also wooden. Then you will have to use only a dry screed - the floor may not withstand such a load.

Such repairs will be needed when the wood begins to rot, creaks constantly appear and there is a large number of fungi.

A huge number of materials can be used as a dry screed. To choose the most suitable one, go to a specialized store and consult with the seller.He will tell you about all the advantages and disadvantages of any material, and also recommend the right one, based on your needs and taking into account the conditions in which the repair will be carried out.

Now you know why it is not advisable to lay tiles on a wooden floor, what to do if it is still necessary, and how to determine the condition of the floor before starting work. Both tile and wood are excellent materials, however, they are designed for different conditions. That is why you should not be upset if you have to cover the wood with cold tiles - a wooden floor will be more appropriate in another room.