Can you lay tile directly on concrete.
Tile underlay on concrete slab.
Underlayment is any product that can be installed under a.
It is okay to put tiles directly on concrete with some caveats.
A concrete slab makes a good underlayment for ceramic tiles since it s similar to the solid mortar bases that used to be the standard for ceramic tile installation.
However the slab must be flat perfectly level and not at risk of settling or heaving.
However concrete does not respond well to foundation shifts.
This is because as the house contracts and expands so does the flooring.
The product used to fill tile seams tile grout cannot shift and bend either even more reason to use concrete.
To determine whether the existing floor is flat move a straightedge over the surface.
Underlayment in a tile project can mean the difference between a project that lasts for years and one you have to redo because an unexpected crack develops in your concrete slab.
Mark the spots that are high.
You need to careful not to lay tile over the slab s expansion joints which will lead to cracked mortar and broken tiles.
What is an underlayment and why use it.
Installing tile directly on concrete.
Ceramic tiles cannot shift bend or flex.
That is the reason why you require a solid base for installing tiles.
Here s why underlayment matters to a tile installation project toa.