# Tiling over an old hardwood floor



## speedster1 (May 13, 2009)

I have a front entryway thats maple hardwood. It is not servicable and I want to tile over it. adjacent to the entry way is 8mm laminate wood flooring. I want to tile the entry way and use a transition strip to tie them together.

Can I lay down unmodified thinset directly on top of the old hardwood followed by ditra and then tile over the ditra with modified thinset and porceline tile?


----------



## jcrack_corn (Jun 21, 2008)

i think the answer to this depends on "whats under the hardwood" and what condition the hardwood is in.

Usually you will have some poor areas of subfloor under floors that old. Are any of the planks loose?

I would NOT do it because i think the longevity of the tile job would be in doubt. Rip the old floor out, verify subfloor is appropriate and replace/repair as needed....start with a good foundation.


EDIT: Plus...why would you miss the opportunity to turn a simple lipstick tile job into a major structural renovation?


----------



## speedster1 (May 13, 2009)

jcrack_corn said:


> i think the answer to this depends on "whats under the hardwood" and what condition the hardwood is in.
> 
> Usually you will have some poor areas of subfloor under floors that old. Are any of the planks loose?
> 
> ...


The 3/4" hardwood is on top of 7/8" tungue and groove plank flooring. They are both structurally in good shape. My main concern was whether is was okay to put thinset directly on an old hardwood floor and if I should use an unmodified thinset between the hardwood and the ditra, followed by modified between the ditra and tile.

My tiling projects in the past have placed tile on hardi board. But because of transision issues and the fact that part of this space is a coat closest I don't want to deal with intricate hardi board cutting.


----------



## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

> My main concern was whether is was okay to put thinset directly on an old hardwood floor


No! No! No!


----------



## speedster1 (May 13, 2009)

Bud Cline said:


> No! No! No!


Care to explain? It seems to me that putting ditra onto hardwood would be similar to putting hardi onto hardwood


----------



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Bud Cline said:


> No! No! No!


:thumbup:Agreed. You will be breaking mortar joints and popping tiles in the air as that subfloor and the hardwood on it flexes with no substrate under your tile. 

Why not just pull the hardwood out if you are done with it and do this right?


----------



## JazMan (Feb 17, 2007)

I'm sure Bud had to run off to a job, but you can bet he'll be back to xplain further.



> i think the answer to this depends on "whats under the hardwood" and what condition the hardwood is in.


NON SENSE! There is no circumstance or condition that would make Ditra (or even concrete backer), OK over hardwood or any plank floor.

The hardwood needs to be removed and then 1/2" or thicker plywood underlayment installed followed by your Ditra. You MUST install Ditra using a good quality modified thin set, (unmodified will not work over wood), then install the tiles with a good unmodified thin set mortar.

Jaz


----------



## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

> Care to explain? It seems to me that putting ditra onto hardwood would be similar to putting hardi onto hardwood


Well actually the end results would be very similar.:yes:


----------



## speedster1 (May 13, 2009)

I have to admit I'm a little suprised to find out that this wouldn't work. In the end I'd have over 1.5" of solid subfloor followed by hard tile board screwed on an 8" grid. The floor seams very sturdy right now. Add in the tile board seems more than enough.

Why would this have a tendency to pop tiles vs a traditional plywood subfloor?


----------



## williamwiens (Nov 13, 2010)

rip it out.
There are a couple of really knowledgeable people telling you that. 
sometimes we don't get the answers we want to hear...
gonna cost $$ to buy tile, ditra, thinset, tools (if you don't have them), finishing strips, transition strips. Do you want to spend that once, or twice?


----------



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Every time you step on a plank floor, even one perfectly installed, the boards you engage, flex. They also expand and contract individually with humidity and temperature changes. A sheet of plywood does not, or it only does corner to corner as a unit. 

The flexing of a plank foor may be imperceptible to you but pieces of tile and the grout between them will feel it even with tileboard (not a structural material like plywood), thinset, and so forth. Even if the tiles don't pop on you, you will be regrouting on a regular basis. 

I still do not understand why, if you have pronounced the hardwood dead and gone, you are resistant to just spending an hour, ripping it out, and putting down 3/4 ply for backing as recommended? Something nostalgic about the done in hardwood?


----------



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Bud Cline said:


> Well actually the end results would be very similar.:yes:


:laughing:


----------



## speedster1 (May 13, 2009)

Don't get me wrong. I appreciate the help and I trust what you experts say. I may just find another flooring option. I hate the thought of putting vinyl flooring or anything else down. But I might have to. This entry way is small (36 sq ft) but it is not a simple square shape and to cut the hardwood out to replace with plywood would be a pain in the butt. I have a built-in cabinet and a coat closest that I'd have to work around. I don't believe I could fit a single piece of ply in there without having to place it down in puzzle-piece fashion. I guess I would run into the same problem with tileboard. Thats another reason I was hoping I could use ditra. 

Oh well, I bow to your knowledge. I will not put tile on the hardwood.


----------



## JazMan (Feb 17, 2007)

> to replace with plywood would be a pain in the butt.


Life's a b****....and then you die! :wink:

Jaz


----------



## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

:thumbsup::yes:


----------



## DIYadam (Apr 18, 2011)

As Mike Holmes would say, if you're going to do it, do it right the first time.


----------



## DannyT (Mar 23, 2011)

the only good options you have are laminate and engineered flooring seems to me. I did install a laminate that really looked like tile, i was really surprised.


----------



## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

> As Mike Holmes would say, if you're going to do it, do it right the first time.


How long has Mike Holmes been saying that? Must be something he has learned lately.


----------



## jeffheenan (Nov 11, 2014)

put a thick layer of redguard down before ditra and you should be fine


----------



## jeffheenan (Nov 11, 2014)

sorry not true redguard wont stick to finish. great product though.


----------

