Tiling questions

[Kurgen]

I wanted my kitchen floor re tiled and I asked the fella to tile over the old tiles without busting them out. No problem. He put a skim of adhesive on and tiled over.

I then asked him about doing the same to rest of the downstairs (open plan house) and he said best not to as those tiles are smooth and shiny. Is he right? In the UK I'm sure tilers just uni-bond and tile over.

Also I asked him about doing the same to the horrible varnished parquet flooring which we have throughout the whole of upstairs. Admittedly the varnish is peeling in places. He said he didn't want to as it would probably lift after a year or so.

Is he right?

Surely downstairs can be tiled straight over with a quality adhesive?

Upstairs I really don't know, but I hate that wooden flooring.

Advice appreciated.

[DrAndy]

if you want to be sure about your new tiles bonding to the old ones, get a guy to hammer the old ones creating lots of chips so the new cement can bond

better to just lift all the old ones off though; only certain tile adhesives are suitable for tile on tile. Check manufacturers instructions. Some of those adhesives are not available in Thailand

Do not tile over the parquet, that won't work; lift it all up and then retile

if you hate the wooden flooring because it is old and grotty looking, then just have it sanded down and repolyurethaned, it will look really good again

[Kurgen]

I never really liked the wooden flooring from day one. When they laid it I asked for it to be stained. I made the mistake of going away for a few days and when I came back they had put 5 coats of varnish on amongst other things I had told them not to do.

The 3 bedrooms, landing and stairs are parquet. To sand the floors down I reckon would make a shit load of mess.

Any ideas?

[nigelandjan]

Carpet or if you can pronounce it Linolium

[DrAndy]

The 3 bedrooms, landing and stairs are parquet. To sand the floors down I reckon would make a shit load of mess. Any ideas?

yes, messy but mainly wood dust, so not as bad as concrete

do it and get a cleaner in for a couple of days

what sort of wood is the parquet?

[Jesus Jones]

I wanted my kitchen floor re tiled and I asked the fella to tile over the old tiles without busting them out. No problem. He put a skim of adhesive on and tiled over.

I then asked him about doing the same to rest of the downstairs (open plan house) and he said best not to as those tiles are smooth and shiny. Is he right? In the UK I'm sure tilers just uni-bond and tile over.

Also I asked him about doing the same to the horrible varnished parquet flooring which we have throughout the whole of upstairs. Admittedly the varnish is peeling in places. He said he didn't want to as it would probably lift after a year or so.

Is he right?

Surely downstairs can be tiled straight over with a quality adhesive?

Upstairs I really don't know, but I hate that wooden flooring.

Advice appreciated.

I tiled the complete area downstairs just after the floods by myself as I was let down by 3 tilers. One room was parquet which I lifted. The kitchen which I knocked through to make open plan with the living room and the area around the bottom of the stairs I tiled straight over the old ones. They were quite smooth but I ran the grinder over them to allow a key for the bond. They haven't lifted yet so I assume all is ok.

[Loy Toy]

Flooring such as marble can be tiled upon because the surface can absorb the adhesive but as far as tiling straight on top of ceramic tiles is a no no.

As a few of the other lads have suggested either rip them out or chip the top surface or run an angle grinder over the top of them.

I certainly would not tile on top of any form of FLOORING wood even if the contractor tells you it is OK.

If you need to create dust just buy some of the thicker gauge plastic sheets and drop them from ceiling to floor and around the area you are working.

A few portable fans positioned pushing air out of the door openings will keep the rest of the house relatively dust free.

[VocalNeal]

Had that shiny parquet flooring that god rained on. It all warped and lifted. It was only in the corridor bit so we ripped out all the parquet in the hallway.

I don't know if that parquet is thick enough to be able to sand it down and oil it because the varnish will still be in the seams/gaps between the individual pieces.

Gets some rugs or carpet squares?

Another thought would be take out a section of parquet and see what the surface is like underneath. You may be able to go for the modern polished concrete look if it is fairly smooth and it fits the house.

[charleyboy]

I'm with Loytoy. Many years ago, I worked with a tiler and I remember him saying, never tile onto tiles.

[DrAndy]

I tiled straight over the old ones. They were quite smooth but I ran the grinder over them to allow a key for the bond.

and also as LT said

chip the top surface or run an angle grinder over the top of them.

they just need a key so the adhesive or cement will hold

[Kurgen]

Bollox!

That's not directed at you lot btw.

Thanks for the advice.