Read More: How to Pick the Right Trowel for your Tiles. Score the surface adhesive with the toothed edge of your trowel, drawing straight lines along the wet surface. To test that your existing tile is solidly bonded to the floor, lightly tap them with a wood mallet. You have officially earned bragging rights while answering the question of whether you can lay tile over tile. First skimcoat and then take a hammer and chisel and knock off the high parts. When in doubt, always consult a tiling professional. These tiles have special backings that will provide a firm grip on the bottom, but that doesnt mean theyre going to make a good surface to tile over. If they are loose, it will not matter one bit how good your new tiling is, it will still fall off along with the old tiles. Many thinsets and tile mortars are intended to bond with a backerboard or substrate and the bottom of a tile - they may not properly bond with the surface of a glazed ceramic tile or polished glass tile. :). So youre ready to install new tile, but youre unsure of one thing: can you tile over tile? Floor tiles need enough clearance between the surface of the tile and door openings, appliances, and furniture - tiling over tile doubles the thickness of the flooring and may cause fittings to jam or doors to stick. I love him so much! Hi Bri, There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a new tile. You want to make sure theres no debris, dust, cracks, gaps, or large pores that can allow room for moisture to seep in or for tiles to settle or shift after installation. This is best done with some white spirit on a rag. The pre-mixed adhesives are great for tiling on top of tiles, especially the instant grab, or non slip adhesives. 2) Good question. It allowed me to have fun with a unique tile pattern and gave me a space I love. We know - thats probably not the answer that you wanted to hear! Start by scooping your adhesive from the bucket with a trowel, applying a thin layer to a small section of tiles. At DIY Doctor we use double glazing plastic trim to hide these edges. Youll Love These Outdoor Dinnerware Finds, EPISODE 51: 5 Pillars of a Hardworking Home. Strip them all off and start again, it simply is not worth the risk. Fill in cracks along the floor, ceiling, windows etc. I want to put larger tiles on top of it. If you click into our page on grouting tiles you will see that we only use a sponge to grout tiles, so no need for expensive tools for this job!Always use the best tiling grout for your job, we love the Everbuild Super White tile grout, Always use the best tiling grout for your job, we love the Everbuild Super White tile grout. Looks beautiful! When it comes to your flooring needs and choosing the right tile floors for your home, hiring a professional is the best. Grouting tiles properly is even more important than laying them. It is not a flat surface . DIY Doctor has pieced together a tiling tool kit that covers all eventualities. Use a level to ensure your base tile is as flat of a surface as possible. Apply as per the instructions and then wipe off after the time stated. Did you have to worry about the additional weight of the new tile? Regardless of if you physically cant remove the old tile or just dont want to (hey, were not judging), there are instances in which tiling over existing tile is fine. Heres an example if youre installing new glass tiles, youd normally use a glass-specific mortar like Laticrete Glass Tile Adhesive, but you should check the manufacturers specs to make sure it will adequately bond to the surface of the old tiles since thats not the intended base surface for the material. Normal tile trim is ideal for hiding the cut, or unsightly edges of tiles. Of course there are a lot of variables that need to be considered but Im going to share our process with our bathroom walls and then go into more depth and answer all of your questions that you had from instagram. If there are minor cracks you can repair them by removing the whole tile and replacing it with a new one. If it had been open, I'd have ended with pencil trim or a bullnose. Original tiles on wall The existing tile joints are in yellow. (You will always get the best results if you remove the old tiles and prep the surface before applying new adhesive and new tiles.). Once youve done Step 1, theres a little more information that you need the best adhesive might vary depending on the type of tiles youre installing. You could also put a wooden shelf like we did in here. Penetrating sealers work best in damp areas like bathrooms and showers, while membrane-forming sealers are ideal in kitchens. My experience with an online dermatologist! 3. I tiled right over the existing tile, which was a beige stone-look porcelain. How can I find out if a tiler is considered an essential COVID-19 service provider. Next, youll want to lay out your new tiles, cutting them to size to fit around any walls, corners and fixtures. I am going to remodel my home soon. I am considering doing this as long as it holds up. Especially for floors you want a solid foundation if there is a lot of damage I dont suggest doing it on the floor. The tiles themselves are watertight, no doubt about that. They make them out of different materials and colors and allow the different flooring to come to a clean end. Its easy to mix and goes a long way. How did you secure the wood shelf to the wall? If you have a few problem tiles, simply remove and reinstall them before you tile over the wall. Interesting and creative. Youll first want to assess the existing tile installation. For this we recommend using some wire or steel wool and please remember to open any windows when using white spirit to help remove any fumes. Home > DIY How To Projects and Tutorial Guides > Tiling Over Tiles: How to Tips From the Pros(adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({}); Tiling over tiles. Yes. Don't fancy doing this project yourself? If youve confirmed that you can safely and securely install new tiles on old tiles, the next step is to check the materials youre using and the best adhesive to bond them together. Yes. Repair is always exciting. We painted over it and I just dont love it because of that texture. For this kitchen I didn't need to worry about edges the sink run was wall to wall and the opposite counter was wall to fridge. If youre doing it on the floor, it will raise the height of the floor and may interfere with baseboards, or cabinets and thresholds between rooms. (see below), A kitchen backsplash tile project depicting the correct way to apply thinset behind our Mallorca Blue ceramicsubway tiles. We used white grout for this entire bathroom. It will not affect the effectiveness of your new tiled wall.Removing tile grout before you tile over old tilesif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'diydoctor_org_uk-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_7',685,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position!='undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-diydoctor_org_uk-large-leaderboard-2-0')}; Removing tile grout before you tile over old tiles. Now that youve got your adhesive picked out and your surface free and clear of any dirt or debris, you can begin the new tile installation! 4. If there are a lot of cracks and damage, then you shouldnt do it. You can use bull nose or chair rail tile to create a wainscot look. You would have to dig it all out or you could use a grout pen/marker to change the color of it. If the surface is uneven, say from a zellige-style tile or where grout lines create a dip, the adhesive wont be able to properly bond with the bottom of the new tile. This is such a great option that will save you time and money and I hope this post will help you determine if its the right decision for you! Mask up and grab your mallet and get to smashing! Thanks! Check out our top tips for DIY Tile Installation. This sticks to wood/concrete/basement floor pretty much anything. But the issue you have talked about in here its all are very important to know for all. Once dry, use the same mixture to adhere your new tiles. This requires a 6 or 7mm hole and as there are usually quite a few to do in a bathroom its a good idea to buy a quick change diamond drill bit to do them with. Handyman extraordinaire Bob Vila warns that tiling over an uneven surface will give you a less than ideal end result. For smaller grout lines ( or less), unsanded ground is typically recommended. If the raised portion extends to the four corners, maybe use no spacer at all on those tiles. A fantastic tip from Rob Tester, a tiler from Surrey is to mix a little sand with PVA adhesive (see our project on PVA to buy cheaply) and simply paint it on the wall. Click on this link, or on the image, to buy your PVA.PVA is great for sealing and preparing wallsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'diydoctor_org_uk-leader-1','ezslot_9',829,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position!='undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-diydoctor_org_uk-leader-1-0')}; PVA is great for sealing and preparing walls, You can also use Sugar Soap to clean the walls down. You never pay to use Thumbtack: Get cost estimates, contact pros, and even book the joball for no cost. Start laying your new tile! The majority of the time, youll want to start with a fresh installation. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'diydoctor_org_uk-medrectangle-4','ezslot_13',824,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position!='undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-diydoctor_org_uk-medrectangle-4-0')};Go around the walls with a sharp scraper and dig it into the grouted joints. The longer answer: well get into that! First you should apply a coat over your existing tile. As long as you prepare it properly and follow the same steps as above it will be fine! Next you must clean down the old tiles. ), Good Books: our favourite modern home libraries, Before After. Hi Bre Does it seem like it was done well? Firmly press new tile over the small adhesive area youve just laid, sliding the tile perpendicular to the combed lines. We did this reno for us not for someone else. That weight will be doubled if you tile over tile, and may be heavy enough to cause damage to your wall. If you guys have any other questions about how to tile over tile on any surface then leave them below and Ill be sure to answer them! Your new tiling job will only be as good as the old tiles they are stuck to. How to tile over ceramic tiles and lay new tiles onto already tiled walls without needing to remove all of the exiting tiles.