Patching concrete floors before tiling

Installing flooring on an uneven concrete can cause buckling and loose boards after the installation. Then move on to the fun part, the tile setting see photo 5. If you were to remove a cracked tile from concrete, undoubtedly you would see the same crack pattern below. Cracks in concrete immediately become cracks in the tile. Use filler to fill in any dips and apply a floor leveler for any humps in the floor. You will need to either restore the concrete so it is close to its original condition or cover the stained concrete with a material such as cement board before tiling over it. If youve made any adjustments to your floor, you must allow them to completely dry before installing the new floor. Basement floors especially are prone to cracking since they are belowgrade areas and thus are closer to tree roots and water tables. Repair materials should have an expansion coefficient similar to that of the original concrete. Dips and cracks in the subfloor can cause tile to tilt, settle or crack. If the subfloor is a concrete slab, theres very little preparation. How to repair concrete cracks before laying tile floor. Ceramic tile can be laid directly over a concrete slab using thinset adhesive. Nov 14, 2016 how to level a concrete floor before tile installation step by step diy.

Tile over slab cracks slab crack fix with anti fracture membrane. Help prevent cracked porcelain, ceramic or stone tile installations by using. For a texture, pull a damp push broom over the concrete. Once you have confirmed that the cracks are not from deep structural problems youll need to determine the type of concrete filler or patch material that is appropriate for the repair. If you only have chips and small holes to fix, the floor patch and leveler will be a sufficient and cheaper. Concrete substrates take far longer to reach stable equilibrium than sand and cement screeds due to. Tiling over concrete and wood floors todays homeowner. These cracks may eventually show up in tile or dressing applied before the 28 day curing period.

Lay down a sheet of crack isolation membrane before tiling if your concrete floor is severely damaged or aged. Before pouring the self leveler there is some prep work required. Tiling on concrete floor page 1 homes, gardens and diy. Porcelain tile on concrete slab with hairline cracks, is this. Follow the manufacturers instructions, but this usually takes several days. As the concrete settles, scrape the surface with a trowel. Once you have a good, sticky surface for the concrete, simply add water to premixed concrete and patch the crack. Sep 10, 2019 before you can address why the concrete is uneven, you need to scrub the floor thoroughly. Moisten the old concrete along the hairline crack with water for several hours before adding the grout.

This means you never start from a corner or edge because you will end up with a row that pops into existence part way through the room. I have some very small hairline cracks in some self leveling concrete poured over a concrete floor that i wanted to paint. How to repair concrete cracks before laying tile floor home. This is particularly imported when laying tile, as the floor needs to be as level as possible. Full strength may not be achieved for a period of 28daysbut screeds should be kept moist for at least 7days to allow sufficient strength gain before drying is allowed. How to level a subfloor to prepare for new flooring. New concrete must cure a minimum of 28 days before either tiling or putting a dressing onto the new concrete. Any joints that are repaired must allow for the expansion of the concrete slab. Sealing a concrete floor before tiling diynot forums. How to tile over existing vinyl floors article video transcript danny lipford. Read on for information on repairing small cracks, sidewalks, and driveways, as well as patching holes and corners. This option works best when the concrete floor is in good condition, so take care to follow all of the steps below to repair cracks, fill depressions, and make sure the.

Answer answer generally speaking allowing the concrete to cure for 28 days allows it to achieve 90% cure and there is no significant shrinkage in the concrete after that in terms of installing ceramic tile over it. How long do i have to wait before tiling over fresh concrete. The best way to repair a hole in a concrete slab before tiling over. Phillip varela licensed installer address a crack in the concrete slab prior to tiling with an anti fracture membrane. How to level a concrete floor before tile installation.

Apply the grout and wipe off the excess grout with a damp or wet sponge. Once the concrete is stained, it should not be tiled because the thinset will not adhere properly. We plan to finish the basement in my house, and there are going to be a couple of sump pumps, so we no longer need the old drain in the. What sealer you use is dependant on the adhesieve you use. Repairing minor holes in a cement floor before laying tile home. This left me with a 2ft x 3ft hole in my tiled basement floor. For installation of tile, the tile ends at each control joint and the gap if filled with caulk rather than grout. Cracks and gaps can be filled with portland cementbased fillers. Let the primer dry, and then apply the membrane photos 3 and 4. I have done some tiling successfully before, but only walls onto a surface that i had just removed old tiles from. The only prep work needed is to remove any old adhesive or paint and clean the concrete first. For tiling over young concrete less than 28 days old, an uncoupling mat.

Skip this step and we guarantee your new tile will crack right over the cracks in the concrete. After all, cracks and uneven areas in the concrete can cause damage to the tile above, and uncontrolled moisture in the concrete can destroy the mortar and loosen the tiles. When people remodel bathrooms, they often ask if they have to prepare the floor at all before laying ceramic tile. Cleaning and filling any cracks in the floor takes a little time, and the only precautions to take prior to tiling are to make. How to prepare concrete for a tile installationlearning center. Before using the sealer, ensure that it is mixed thoroughly. How to prepare for laying tile over a concrete floor home. Patch any small cracks or holes with concrete patching compound.

Feb 22, 2011 i am going to retile but need some advice to make sure my tiles stick better. Filling small cracks in concrete keeps them from turning into big holes. If underlying cracks are not properly repaired in the first place, they can continue to spread and eventually may cause the tiles to crack as well. Use over concrete, plywood and vinyl prior to installing tile or other flooring. Control joints are there because its not a question of if the slab will crack but rather when the slab cracks it hopefully happens at the joint. Work the trowel in a fanning motion to blend the edges with the existing concrete. As the final preparation before laying floor tiles, once you have any raises removed from concrete subfloors, you will now need to fill any holes. Jan 07, 20 patch and level a concrete subfloor preparing the concrete floor. If you use certain polymer modified adhesives you can maybe set tiles after 14 days of curing. Although you dont need to install an underlayment between the concrete and the tile, you need to prepare the surface before placing the tile. What is the best choice for patching and leveling concrete. For small patching jobs, use a premixed concrete patch. Newlylaid cementitious screeds and concrete contain relatively large amounts of water, which need to be retained while the cement binder is gaining strength. Cut the membrane so its 112 times the width of your tiles.

Nov 28, 2018 how to prepare for laying tile over a concrete floor. With the cracks patched, apply a latexmodified, crackresistant thinset. If you want to install vinyl tile or ceramic tile, things get a bit trickier. If you use a readymix concrete patch, all you need to add is water. I use the same thinset i would use for laying the tiles and just skimcoat the entire area. Porcelain tile on concrete slab with hairline cracks, is. If you cover the floor with an overlay, this will add to the height of the floor and may require. I do have some high performance thermal primer to use instead. The best way to repair a hole in a concrete slab before. Tiling is all about planning, and part of planning is finding the high point of the room. How to level a concrete floor before tile installation step. An uneven concrete floor can be unsightly, as well as unsafe. How to lay tile over cracked concrete home guides sf gate.

Years of dust, dirt, grime, oil and grease need to be removed so much that the porous concrete can take on any sealant you intend to put down, as well as the caulk or cement you use to repair problems. To burnish the surface very smooth, use a steel trowel shown on the final few passes. The safest way to approach questionable concrete is not to cover it over with cbus but to fix the concrete. What is the least messiest procedures of preparing the floor. I used diluted pva it advised this on the adheiseve i was using although i read somewhere on one of these forums you shouldnt use pva. Oct 07, 2010 how to prep and build a paver patio with curves and border \\ diy project duration. Filling in gaps, cracks and crevices, as well as leveling uneven concrete, will bring up the aesthetic and shore up the structure of the flooring.

After laying all the tile over the surface of the concrete slab, allow the tile to rest for 24 hours before finishing the tile. Tile flooring can quickly give an old floor pizazz. However, you can work around this problem by using one of two methods. Discussion in tilers talk started by rolandk, feb 22. They can correct uneven floors, repair damaged concrete, and provide a smooth and durable new surface for decorative treatments. Before i begin the process of tiling over a cracked slab, i prep the slab with a crackisolation membrane. Cracks and depressions may create weak spots that cause tile to crack in the future. Remove any adhesive immediately from the top of the tile if it splatters. Remove all dust and debris that may be on the floor.

If you know how to fill small cracks in concrete, youll restore your concrete to a smooth finish. A concrete floor can often be unlevel, so before floor tile instillation it is often necessary to level the floor. Then prime the concrete see photo 2 with the recommended solution consult the membrane manufacturers literature. If there are cracks larger than 18 inch in your concrete subfloor, those should be patched and filled with a cement patching compound. Tile cannot be attached directly to painted concrete, as the thinset will not adhere well to the paint. Temperature changes, heavy weights, and dropped objects can all damage your concrete floor by causing cracks and holes. If you have a subfloor that consists of wood on top of concrete, youll need to test both floors. While concrete is a strong construction material, it can still crack. Yesterday, i leveled the floor with febflor plus selfleveling compound, which actually is not 100% self leveling so now its about 3mm out across the surface of 3ft in width and 6 ft length never mind. Remove any loose concrete pieces from larger cracks before filling with concrete filler. If the hole you repaired is in the middle of a floor that you are tiling over, install a crackisolation. If you cant find premixed concrete patch, you can make your own by mixing one part. The concrete subfloor must be sufficiently strong to safely support the flooring, furniture, and people in the room.

All of the movement in concrete is transferred to the tile. One of the first steps in refinishing a basement or turning a garage. I cant use a thermal backer board for the heating due to floor height restrictions to adjoining floors. Do you need to seal concrete before tiling over it. How to prep and build a paver patio with curves and border \\ diy project duration. You need to rely on the manufacturers data sheet recommendations for the thinset dry set mortar you are using to adhere to the concrete. Repairing minor holes in a cement floor before laying tile filling. How to prepare for laying tile over a concrete floor. Dec, 20 the thinset has better adhesive quality than regular concrete and that thin layer helps the new concrete knit with the existing slab. It doesnt help that some basement concrete floors are poured quickly and without much attention paid to quality. Id like some advice on how to level a concrete floor.

How long should concrete cure before installing tile. The general rule for concrete to cure before installing tile over it is wait 28 days to allow the concrete to cure and to finish shrinking. How to level uneven concrete floors with selfleveling. How to patch and level a concrete subfloor pretty handy girl. Tom meehan, a tile installer and owner of cape cod tileworks explains in this article that tiling over concrete cracks can actually be quite simple. Occasionally i need to break a large hole in the slab for a drain or to repair a hole. Smooth your cement subfloor before laying tile to ensure that the tile has a flat, even bed on which to rest. A product that ive had good luck with is nobleseal cis the noble co. The thinset has better adhesive quality than regular concrete and that thin layer helps the new concrete knit with the existing slab. Lay down a sheet of crack isolation membrane before tiling if your. Oct 14, 2019 the success of any flooring project depends on how well you prepare the surface before installation. Tiling over concrete cracks seems like it could be a risky choice.

How to patch and resurface concrete steps howtos diy. Apply a layer of tile adhesive to the floor using a trowel. How to install tile on level concrete subfloors custom. Preparing concrete floor for tiling screwfix community forum. Learn how to prepare a concrete subfloor for hardwood or laminate flooring. Before laying tile over a plywood subfloor, cement backer board needs to be nailed or screwed to the floor. Concrete can also crack from internal stresses that are unavoidable. The answer depends on what is beneath the finished flooring or the subfloor. Surface preparation preparing a concrete floor youtube.

Wait at least 24 hours before walking on the patch and a week before driving on it. Mix the compound according to the manufacturers instructions and hold the bucket near the lowest areas on the floor. Is it possible just to use some concrete patch found in the tile aisle and some cement crack filler to address this before putting down a waterproofingcrack prevention membrane. You can fill small holes most easily using a premixed concrete patch. Patch and level a concrete subfloor preparing the concrete floor. Installing concrete floors how to clean concrete floors concrete floor design ideas. The short answer is that you do not span controlexpansion joints with the tile. We cut along the grout lines, so i just need to replace the tile and concrete. I used a scraper and lightly hammered any spots that sounded hollow underneath to loosen any weak pieces.

This technique will work for cracks smaller than 38 inch wide in the sidewalk, driveway, garage floor, basement, or steps. It is concrete that we chipped the old tile mortar off of, so there are some places where there are small holes and there are some uneven places. What is the best subfloor to put over these old boards before using hardiboard, thinset, and tiling. Clean out as much mortar from the grout joints as you can. The air temperature must be over 40 f for patching or other restoration work to ensure proper bonding and curing of the repair material. It is important for any homeowner who plans to lay tile to learn how to repair concrete cracks before laying tile floor materials.

Here i level an uneven concrete floor using the levelquik rs 50 lb self leveling. How to prepare a subfloor for tile installation the home. What is the best choice for patching and leveling concrete before tile. Concrete floors are durable and easy to clean, but not very attractive. Repairing minor holes in a cement floor before laying tile.

Well, i have poured the concrete, but i was not able to get the concrete perfectly level. I also plan on getting some self leveling mortar to put down before the roll on membrane but after the crack fillerpatch correct order. Im trying to determine which mapei product we need to use. We have acid stained concrete floors and want to lay porcelain tile now. When the tiles are large andor smooth andor shiny, i recommend the requirement be within 18 in 10 ft. Hi, i have filled in the hole i dug 1ft deep 3x6x1ft deep, with concrete, and let it dry for 3 weeks. Mix water with basic portland cement to repair hairline cracks.

Anything on the concrete, including dust, can slow down the progress of the compound. If you plan on leveling a concrete floor, you can do so with relative ease by using a leveling compound. If you cant find premixed concrete patch, you can make your own by mixing one part cement to 2. How to level a concrete floor before tiling home guides. Large tile require a deeper thinset bed to make up for the minor adjustments in flatness of floor and tile check for complete coverage of thinset mortar by pulling up one tile it should cover at least 80% of the back of the tile grouting. It must fill the cracks completely, be easily smoothed on the surface and adhere well with the mortar. The floor patch helps fill minor dips and imperfections.

It is a small job and the whole floor doesnt need leveling. If the hole you repaired is in the middle of a floor that you are tiling over, install a crackisolation membrane over the entire floor before putting down the tile. Youll have to prime those areas and cover them with a peelandstick crack prevention mat also called antifracture or crack isolation membrane. Premixed floor patch fpqt, gray helps repair cracks and holes in concrete, vinyl and plywood floors before installing tile or other flooring from the home depot custom building products simpleprep 1 qt.

Removing carpet before installing concrete floors time. Prepping a concrete subfloor for hardwood or laminate flooring. Patch little cracks or holes with a cement patching compound. I have tiled many bathrooms that had floors that were concrete. We have owned our home since it was constructed in 1984. For tiling over young concrete less than 28 days old, an uncoupling. It spreads across uneven slabs, filling in low spots as it creates a new, level surface.

These flowable polymermodified toppings have the ability to self level without troweling, making them a quick solution for smoothing and leveling worn or uneven concrete. For a successful installation, the concrete floor beneath the tile needs to be more. Premixed floor patch helps repair cracks and holes in concrete, vinyl and plywood floors before installing tile or other flooring. Tiling a screed too soon whilst the substrate is still stabilising can result in tiles blowing away from their base heaving as the screed shrinks below. While you can install tile directly on concrete, problems erupt when the concrete cracks or shifts. The notch trowel size depends on the tile type and size. This prevents the floor from sucking the moisture out of the adhesive before it sets and seals in any dust on the surface. While removing the old tile i would chips or make a few small divots in the concrete. I am tiling straight onto the the concrete but with electric underfloor heating.