# Tiling a countertop



## Ben (Feb 23, 2005)

I have a kitchen counter that is very securely covered in linoleum which is in good condition. I want to replace it with glazed tile. Can I simply rough up the linoleum and install the tile over it or do I need to cover it first with cement board, or should I take it up entirely?


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 7, 2004)

To get out on the cheap, scuff it with 40-60 grit sandpaper, wipe at least twice with alcohol and set the tile using industrial grade Liquid Nails. Grout and seal as usual. This is permenent! Next time it's a new top.


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## Mark Lauzon (Mar 18, 2005)

IF you are going to do that make very very sure you do a perfect job calking the sink and any other potential wet areas...any moisture will cause the particle board to swell and you will have a mess on your hands....are you doing this to sell the house?

Mark Lauzon
www.stoneadvice.com
slab fabricator heaven


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## Floorwizard (Dec 5, 2003)

Plus keep in mind you may have a perimeter spread vinyl. That will be big time issues.

Plus the vinyl is sorta padded, which is very bad for new tile. Grout cracking and such is going to happen most likely.


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## Mike Swearingen (Mar 15, 2005)

We have 12"X12" ceramic tiles matching our floor tiles jumped to our kitchen countertops, and they used 1/4" cement board screwed over the old laminate.
I'm not a pro at this, but they are, and I wouldn't do anything that they didn't do. 
They are a highly respected carpet-and-tile firm that has been in business many, many years, and do hotels, restaurants, million dollar homes, etc. (not mine, of course...they also do work for us poor boys...lol).
I would highly recommend using the cement board. 
Good Luck!
Mike


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## Floorwizard (Dec 5, 2003)

oops, I really need to pay attention.
I thought install on vinyl....whoops..

anyway the advice is the same, the tile is only as good as the substrate, and the lam is only glued down and is prone to seperation if it already hasn't.


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## housedocs (Mar 14, 2005)

I would recommend peeling the old counter up putting down a layer of 5/8" plywood, then set cbu on top of that in a layer of thinset and screwed off every 6"-8", then lay your tile over that with thinset. Thinset will not bond properly to the linoleum. My .02¢ for what it's worth.


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 7, 2004)

housedocs, you sound like one of the old breed, like me. No matter how you cover partical board you're always going to wonder when it is going to swell up. Our only conflict is that I like a min of 3/4" marine cabinet grade ply for countertops and I usually double it.


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## housedocs (Mar 14, 2005)

Well we are just talking about a countertop and if the cbu is properly set usinga good modified thinset and proper caulking around the sink, you shouldn't ever have a problem with it. I should have added something in there about using a good grade of plywood though.


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 7, 2004)

housedocs, I'm prepping for my own kitchen remodel, a present to ol'#2. I have been working on this for almost a year and plan on tile countertops. Dad picked up the hand painted tile in Spain back in the 60's and I have been lugging it around ever since.
The reason that I said doubling the base was due to coming home and seeing 2 of my sons friends sitting on the countertop, they must have weighed 250 ea. and, from the looks of the reefer, ate another 5#'s while they were just hanging out. I like to prepare for all contingencies.
Particle board ,the choice of idiots.


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## LJD (Mar 14, 2005)

Man, Teetorbilt, you seem to know just about *everything*! I mean, seriously.......where did you go to college?


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 7, 2004)

Depp jr. my IQ is 147, I was part of a speed reading experiment in the early 50's. At last check, I read 1970 wpm with a 98% comprehension rate. In the amount of time that it takes you to go and see a movie, I can read the book and have a beverage or two waiting for you to get back. I have demonstrated this numerous times. One of my longtime questions is why did they drop that program?
I attended Broward Community, Nova, break for service time, Perdue, A&M and Paisley.


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## CGofMP (Feb 23, 2005)

> Particle board ,the choice of idiots.


HEAR HEAR!

Speaking as one who likes to overbuild when finances will allow and a man who has a DEEP dislike for crumble-board I gotta honor that quote.

With your permission... I think I'll add it to my signature for a while.


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## Benhamcarpetguy (Nov 20, 2004)

Teetorbilt said:


> from the looks of the reefer, ate another 5#'s while they were just hanging out.
> Particle board ,the choice of idiots.


Yeah, that reefer makes kids hungry. lol

Don


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## housedocs (Mar 14, 2005)

> That reefer will make kids hungry


Now that is funny Don!


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## LJD (Mar 14, 2005)

Teetorbilt said:


> I attended Broward Community, Nova, break for service time, *Perdue*, A&M and Paisley.


Would that be the Frank S. Perdue School of Business, Mr Teetor? I know you're not talkin' about Purdue University, because if you had gone there, I'm convinced you'd be able to spell it right. With that 147 IQ and all.


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## toolbag (Mar 16, 2005)

LongJohnnyDepp said:


> Would that be the Frank S. Perdue School of Business, Mr Teetor? I know you're not talkin' about Purdue University, because if you had gone there, I'm convinced you'd be able to spell it right. With that 147 IQ and all.


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## housedocs (Mar 14, 2005)

Well you guys managed to get Purdue Univ well represented in the Google ads, I'm sure they'll be very pleased with their ad placement, here on diyrepair.
Depp you're quite a character, have to say that animated avatar is really distracting, kind like a pop-up ad.


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