Basic Tile Questions

vegaskurt

I got a half bath down stairs, about 6x6 feet with toilet and sink. It currently has linoleum with baseboard that goes all the way down to the concrete floor. I hate the vinyl and tile is going in, 12 inch squares.

Questions:

1) Should I tear the vinyl out and install directly on the concrete or install on top of the vinyl?

2) Tear the baseboards out and install tile to the walls then cover with new base boards, or leave them alone and tile up to them?

3) Any good tips for cutting tile to go around a toilet?

Mike Finley

If you want to do it right -

Never tile over linoleum, ever. You always have two choices (1) screw down a cement backer board over the existing linoleum and tile on it(since you can't screw down backer board onto a slab see option 2. (2) Rip up linoleum and tile directly on slab. If there are cracks you will need a membrane if there are expansion joints you will need to tile mimicing the expansion joint in a grout line. The reason you never tile over linoleum is that your bond ultimately ends up only being as good as the bond of the linoleum to the surface below.

Tear up the baseboard and tile to the walls, put baseboard on top of tile.

Don't try to cut tile to fit around the toilet, pull up the toilet and replace it on top of the tile, adding a flange riser if needed.

Mike Costello

Spot On!

jgriffin22

Oh, and by the way, don't forget (like me) to get an new toilet connector. The old one might not reach! Jay

Teetorbilt

Follow Mike & Mikes lead and most wax rings will allow for the height difference of tile.