DIY Guide to Installing Ceramic Tile Floors

By Clint C. Thomas, Esq., Photographs By Zoe Thomas

My wife and I decided to replace our existing bathroom floor with ceramic tile in order to have an updated appearance plus something more child proof. Let’s face it; kids can be rough on a house. The overall process of installing a ceramic tile floor is time-consuming at worst case, but there is not really anything difficult about it.

Begin by demolishing or removing the old flooring and any trim work that touches the floor, such as baseboards and door casing.

After the subflooring has been removed, get on your hands and knees and examine the entire floor looking for any nails that are protruding. Either remove them or pound them back into the plywood.

Removal of the old flooring and baseboards is the first phase of the project. Complete any painting in the room prior to installation to avoid getting paint on the new tile. Replace any damaged subflooring as necessary.

Suitable Subfloor

Ceramic tile can be applied directly to the plywood subfloor, but that is not recommended because moisture can get into the plywood from several sources and eventually rot it. Therefore, it is very important to install a cement backer-board over the plywood.

For this project, I used a product called Hardi-Board. It comes in different thicknesses, and I chose the 1/4-inch version so I wouldn’t increase the thickness of the floor more than necessary. Hardi-Board is a mixture of cement and a fiber product. Actual cement board is also available, but is typically only used in showers. It costs more, is heavier and normally is found in 1/2-inch thick sheets.