Flooring Tile - Ceramic tile over vinyl

My kitchen has vinyl flooring. I plan to lay some ceramic tile. Do I need to remove the vinyl or would the tile adhere OK to the vinyl?

It can be done, but I wouldn't want to.

You never know how well the vinyl is adhered to the subfloor, and if that bond fails, your tile will most likely fail as well. Also, vinyl tile is often installed over particle board, which is not a suitable substrate for tile.

What is your current subfloor, wood or cement slab?

If wood, you need to determine your joist size and spacing, along with your unsupported span. Tile needs to be install on at LEAST 5/8" thick exterior grade plywood with a isolation membrain like hardiebacker or Ditra.

If you want to take the chance by installing the tile over the vinyl, make sure you strip any cleaner or wax that is there and sand the floor down.

Thanks...under the vinyl is the concrete slab...the vinyl seems to be pretty stable; its not that soft type that high heels leave dimples in; it's the hard type.

You would have to make sure you strip and clean that old flooring VERY well and rough it up.

A heat gun and a floor scraper can pull this old stuff up fairly easy.

http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?t=152521

REMOVE THE VINYL:wall:

...under the vinyl is the concrete slab... the vinyl seems to be pretty stable...

In my 20's I said the same thing and tiled over it. I was very sad. http://media.funsmileys.com/smileys/sad002.gif

I am in the same situation. What if I stripped the vinyl floor down by sanding it real good and then putting a layer of thinset and backerboard over the vinyl? I hear one good way to see if the thinset will bond to the vinyl floor is to sand it real good and then pour a little water over it. If it beads up it's not good but if the water absorbs into the vinyl then that will make a good bond. Is this true?

NO - REMOVE THE VINYL:wall:

http://www.thefloorpro.com/articles/tile_over_vinyl_flooring.php

I hear one good way to see if the thinset will bond to the vinyl floor is to sand it real good and then pour a little water over it. If it beads up it's not good but if the water absorbs into the vinyl then that will make a good bond. Is this true?

:wall: Now THAT'S a keeper!:) :wall:

That is how you test concrete.:)

Without removing the vinyl you are not only throwing money away but you are making a real mess to clean up later.

Lol! Thanks, I read that in a Home Improvement book too! You can't believe everything you read. Ok I am looking at the Tiling 1-2-3 book from Home Depot Pg. 45 says roughen the surface of soundly adhered, wax free resilent flooring with 40-grit sandpaper. Remove the dust with a damp sponge and give the surface the "water-bead" test that is used on concrete. Will the combination of screws in the backerboard and thinset hold down the vinyl?

This thread started by dupontfan had a concrete slab floor. Now I guess Smith's subfloor is plywood, right?

Smith, since there is no charge to start your own thread, you should start one for your situation.

As you do so, give a good description of what you've got.

Jaz

p.s. someone should tear out page 45 of those useless books. :wall:

Ok I am looking at the Tiling 1-2-3 book from Home Depot Pg. 45 says roughen the surface of soundly adhered, wax free resilent flooring with 40-grit sandpaper. Remove the dust with a damp sponge and give the surface the "water-bead" test that is used on concrete. Will the combination of screws in the backerboard and thinset hold down the vinyl?

This book should be retitled.

"We Have No Clue 1-2-3":)

To reiterate what has already been said and make this long thread even longer...

I don't care WHAT the subfloor is or how firmly attached the vinyl is...

REMOVE IT OR LIVE TO REGRET IT!

PS: see the 'sticky' at the top of this forum...