Switching to laminate flooring and removing the tiles on the floor may seem like a complicated procedure. Well, this is a difficult job and it takes a lot of time since you still need to remove all the existing tiles before you can put the laminate.
Can you put laminate over the tile? This is probably the question that a lot of homeowners wanted to ask because you want to lessen the work involved with the transition. Here are the answers to some of your questions concerning putting laminate flooring over floor tiles.
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Can You Put Laminate Over Tile?
Yes, it is possible to put laminate flooring on top of your floor tiles. However, there are a few conditions that must be met before you do this. It is possible for this type of flooring, but it doesn’t mean that it would be successful. If you want to do this, here are some of the considerations that you need to be aware of.
1. Current Condition of your Tiles
You need to make sure that the tiles are in good condition and they are in decent shape. There are no loose tiles or cracks on the surface. If there are cracks in your tiles, it’s better to replace them first before you put laminate flooring.
If some of your existing tiles are already protruding, you need to use a leveling compound to make sure that it’s completely flat before you lay out the laminate flooring.
2. Height of the Floor
Another important consideration that you need to know is the height of the floor. Even if your tiles are in good condition for laminate flooring, it doesn’t mean that you can just do it. Once you place the laminate in your tiles, the height of the floor will also increase.
What does it mean? The laminate might block the doorways and it might get in the way of your appliances. It may even lessen the headroom in some places in your house. The height difference will surely bring you a lot of headaches.
If you plan to put a new laminate floor over a ceramic tile floor, make sure that there is enough clearance between the floor and the door. You can also use a thin prefinished laminate. They are thin enough to be placed over your old tile without affecting the floor height too much.
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3. Underlayment
There might be a moisture barrier under your tile flooring, but even if you didn’t add one, the tiles will already serve as the barrier. However, it is still important to put underlayment beneath the laminate flooring.
The underlay will provide a layer of insulation, and acoustics, as well as better moisture protection. If you plan to add one, make sure that you put it once the leveling compound is already dry.
What are the Signs that you Need to Remove the Tile before Putting Laminate?
Some issues with your tiles can still be fixed, but there are major problems that can actually affect the laminate flooring once it is installed. If you want to figure out if the tiles had to be removed, here are the signs that you need to look for:
1. The Tiles Can’t be Repaired Anymore
Tiles can be repaired, but there are instances where replacing a tile will still not create a proper base for your laminate planks. If you noticed that replacing a tile won’t be able to create a level base for your laminate, it’s time to remove all of them before installing a new floor.
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2. Cracking in Different Places
If you noticed that there are multiple cracks in your tiles, it might indicate that there is already an issue in your subflooring or that there is shifting in the foundation of the house.
Even if there are no issues like this, seeing cracks in multiple places can already suggest that something is wrong with the floor. You will have to remove the tiles before you place the laminate floor.
3. Check the Grout
It’s fine if you see deterioration in grout as it is perfectly normal. However, if the damage is caused by shifting portions of the flooring, it means that you need to remove the tiles.
There is a chance that the grout lines are squeezed or stretched because of a problem with the floor. Whatever the cause may be, it is better to remove the tiles to prevent any issues in the future.
4. Tiles are Loose in Multiple Areas
When the tiles are loose in multiple areas, it is time to remove all of them. Don’t put laminate over your tiles because there is a chance that more tiles will loosen over time. One or two loose tiles won’t be an issue, but if there are five or more, then you need to reconsider.
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Is it Beneficial to Put Laminate Over your Tile Floor?
Switching to laminate flooring is definitely a good idea, especially if you want to change the design of your floor. Laminate is very easy to install even if you don’t have experience.
You can save more time if you won’t have to remove the tile. Take note that removing tiles would take a lot of time and is very complicated as well. There are so many processes to follow.
Putting laminate on your floor can also improve the look of your interior. There are designs on laminate flooring that you won’t be able to achieve by using tiles.
Laminate is durable and more resilient to certain damages, unlike tiles that can easily chip or cracked when you accidentally drop something. Using laminate can also reduce echo, which is often caused by hard surfaces.
Final Thoughts
It’s better to look at the possible advantages of not removing the tiles when installing laminate. You need to look at the benefits that you can get by removing the tiles as well. You can compare the benefits and figure out which one will bring you the most advantage.
If you have comments and suggestions when installing laminate flooring, feel free to comment down below.