Tiling wooden floors in wet areas. Lay tiles on wood floor Tile base on wood floor

Porcelain stoneware and tiles are traditionally considered the best flooring for toilets, hallways and baths. Laying tiles on a wooden floor is much more difficult than on a concrete one. This guide covers options for subflooring and tongue and groove tiling.

Self-laying tiles on a wooden floor is dangerous with mistakes. Home master nuances should be taken into account:


The main problems of incompatibility of wood, tile adhesive and tiles are as follows:

  • the service life of plywood, sheet pile, chipboard and OSB is lower than that of tiles, so the maintainability of the structure is very low;
  • internal stresses in wood cause warping and other deformations;
  • hardness of cured tile adhesive and porcelain stoneware/tile facings is by default higher than wood-based boards, sheet piles and edged board;
  • in ceilings along beams, a wooden black floor is practically the only structural solution;
  • in the secondary housing stock, wooden floors are made along the logs over the slab, in this case, the structure should be simplified by dismantling the floorboards and logs, pouring the screed for tiling.

Tiles are glued to a wooden floor with special compounds of increased plasticity. However, the developer will not receive 100% guarantees in any case:

  • wood can dry out or warp, that is, change linear or spatial dimensions;
  • with a deflection of a less durable base, a thin layer of tile adhesive will crack or split, the tile will fly off.

To ensure the main condition - the rigidity of the base floor is higher than finish coat, several methods are used for the specified operating conditions:


Cladding technology

The most difficult technique for gluing porcelain stoneware to a tongue, the simplest is a screed with a self-leveling floor over DSP sheets, which is not difficult to tile. It should be remembered that for the safety of rooms adjacent to the bathroom at the time of possible flooding, the height of the finish coating in them should be at least 2 cm higher.

The floor level in the bathroom should be 20 mm lower than in the hallway.

The conflict of wooden structures and ceramic claddings over them is caused by the following factors:


Therefore, the operational resource is sharply reduced bearing beams and wooden decks.

Tiles on the black floor

If the project includes ceilings along beams, a binder is attached to these supporting structures at the lower level. Insulating materials and insulation are laid on it as necessary, then the subfloor is lined.

A budget option is edged board flooring, but in order to lay tiles on top of a subfloor, it is better to increase the construction budget, make a subfloor from board materials(plywood, OSB, DSP). The number of seams will decrease, the stability of the geometry and the overall resource of the structure will increase.

Due to the high humidity of bathrooms, a dry screed as a base for laying tiles on a wooden floor is not the best option:

  • expanded clay sand is highly hygroscopic, and it cannot evaporate the accumulated moisture through the waterproof lining (dangerous in case of leakage);
  • the design has a solid weight, respectively, heavily loads the beams of wooden floors.

However, the practice of operating similar structures exists, so you need to know how to make it yourself. The technique consists of several operations:


Advice! To put it right flooring, you should consider the placement of plumbing, the geometry of the room and the format of the tile. Either a solid tile or pieces of more than half of its format should adjoin the walls to ensure a normal bathroom interior.

Gluing on a special mixture

Most of the leading manufacturers of dry mixes have special compositions of increased elasticity for decorating wooden load-bearing structures tiles. Most popular products:

  • Lacrysil - packaged in red buckets;
  • Kreps - Super modification;
  • Litokol - Litoflex K81 or Superflex K77;
  • Ceresit - a mixture of SM-17.

It is possible to lay tiles on two-component mixtures based on polyurethane resins Bona R770, Utsin MK-92, Stauf PUK 440 or Kiilto Slim. They have high adhesion, both to the lower layer of wood and the upper one - to ceramic tiles. However, the life of these compounds is low, they should be diluted little by little in order to have time to develop a solution before setting begins.

Advice! Glue tiles with ordinary tile adhesive on wood is not recommended, as it is intended exclusively for mineral substrates.

Technology laying tiles on subfloor flooring looks like in the following way:

  • sealing the seams of plywood, chipboard, DSP with putty;
  • applying special tile adhesive to the base;
  • leveling the pastel with a notched trowel;
  • laying tiles using SVP systems or standard crosses.

Usually one-piece cladding elements are mounted according to the layout scheme. The next day, cutting and stacking of pieces is performed. Then the seams are rubbed and the plinths attached to the walls are mounted.

The flatness and horizontality of the base is leveled by lags. Small defects covered with tile adhesive. Additionally, puttying the surface of the black floor is not necessary. First you need to get rid of the squeaks and replace the beams / logs if necessary.

Unlike most wood-based boards from which the subfloor is made, OSB is coated with wax. Which provides additional costs to the developer - the impregnation will have to be cleaned off with angle grinders, artificially increase the adhesion of the base with tile adhesive and reinforce this layer with a polymer mesh. Therefore, it is worth choosing DSP / chipboard or plywood.

Tiles on grooved board

The technology for decorating a tongue and groove with tiles is very complicated due to the following nuances:


Advice! A layer of self-leveling floor, glue and cladding will dramatically increase the structural loads on the beams hardwood floor. It is highly desirable to make a new calculation for the deflection and bearing capacity of structural elements using the method of rigidly clamped single-span beams.

Revision and strengthening

Before gluing tiles to a wooden floor in without fail load-bearing structures should be reviewed:

  • add logs to reduce the distance between them and / or increase the thickness of the floorboards;
  • eliminate creaking, stretch self-tapping screws or add additional fasteners to an existing structure;
  • replace, if necessary, vapor barrier and insulation materials;
  • pull off the tongue-and-groove board to eliminate cracks;
  • take off paintwork completely grinder;
  • treat the tongue with an antiseptic or fire and bioprotection (the composition additionally includes a flame retardant that increases fire resistance).

Initially, only the first, every fourth and last row of floorboards are attached to the joists. After tightening with self-tapping screws, all boards are fixed to the lags.

More details about the laying of the grooved board were discussed.

self-leveling floor

For leveling boardwalk wooden house budgetary modifications of the self-leveling floor are used on cement base. They have self-leveling properties, which makes it easier to work with these compounds. The main nuances of the technology are:


For walking on a liquid solution, paint shoes with a needle sole are used.

Unlike wet concrete screed, minimum thickness which is 3 cm, self-leveling floors can be leveled "to zero". However, separating layers from hydro-, vapor barrier films, sound insulation and insulation.

Tile decoration

Regardless of whether the tile is laid on a wooden base or a screed, you should adhere to the standard cladding technology:


Advice! Floor plumbing is best mounted on top of the tiles. This will reduce the amount of trimming, provide an even solid base, and allow you to save the pattern of the seams.

Since the height of the flooring in the bathrooms is lower than in adjacent rooms, the tiles are laid close to door frame. There is no interface with other facing materials, no threshold and plinth are needed.

Thus, tiles in rooms with high humidity can be laid on its own, both on a wooden black floor and on grooved board floorboards. In this case, the recommendations of specialists should be followed to ensure maximum operational life.

Advice! If you need repairmen, there is a very convenient service for their selection. Just send in the form below detailed description work that needs to be done and offers with prices from construction teams and firms will come to your mail. You can see reviews of each of them and photos with examples of work. It's FREE and there's no obligation.

Ceramic tiles are an excellent material for flooring, especially in rooms with high humidity or with a high probability of liquids or other substances on the floor. Typical examples- bathroom, toilet, hallway, kitchen. They do not refuse to lay tiles in residential premises, if the floor is equipped with a heating system.

But what about the owners of private housing, in which all floors originally wooden? A similar question may arise for owners of apartments of old buildings, where the plank flooring is mounted on logs. Is it possible to lay tiles on a wooden floor?

You can immediately reassure those who are worried - this is a completely feasible operation that does not require complete dismantling of the coating to the ground or concrete base, followed by pouring a thick concrete screed. True, you will have to work hard, since the success of such a reworking of the coating will mainly depend on the quality and strength wooden base.

Taking on the laying of tiles, if there is at least any, even the smallest, suspicion of the instability of the wooden base is the height of recklessness. This is explained simply:

  • Wood is a fairly flexible material, tending to assume its original configuration after deformation. But what is "forgivable" wooden floor(slight deflection, springing, etc.), absolutely unacceptable for ceramics. Each individual tile is very rigid, not bendable. In the case of a “game” of the floor, it can simply crack.
  • Another case, if, for example, ceramic tiles are small. cement-containing tile adhesive also does not like dynamic bending loads. It will definitely go into small cracks, begin to delaminate, and the tile, even retaining its integrity, will simply move away from the base.

At the same time, one should not forget that the load on the coating will increase significantly - in addition to everything else, the ceramic tile itself has considerable weight, mortars, other possible structural elements of the created multi-layer "pie" of the floor. Thus, the wooden base must have guaranteed static. This is what needs to be achieved at the first stage of work.

It is clear that the first step is always careful visual inspection, the application of efforts on the most problematic areas of the wooden floor in order to identify its possible vibrations and sources of squeaks. If there are any, then questions should not arise at all - the coating is subject to a thorough sorting and repair, and not only in places of instability, since strengthening the floor in one place does not guarantee that it will not appear in another. It is necessary to understand the cause, and eliminate it at the root.

Sometimes after dismantling the floor, a "terrible" picture appears

Moreover, experienced craftsmen always advise, in all cases of laying tiles on a wooden base, to carry out its complete enumeration. If a ceramic coating is planned, then one must think that this is for the long term, and not for a year or two. Where is the guarantee that a defect or the process of wood decomposition that has begun today, which does not manifest itself in any way today, will not be detected in just a month or even a year, when the tiled flooring is already fully laid? To carry out repairs, you will have to remove all the tiles, dismantle wooden base- and all due to the fact that the preparation was not shown due integrity. Isn't it better to be completely, 100% sure of the reliability and stability of a wooden floor before you start laying tiles?

Let such a prospect not be particularly frightening - compared to the complete dismantling of a wooden floor and pouring a new concrete screed to replace it, this procedure is much simpler, requires much less labor and financial investments.

So, the usual scheme of a wooden floor is a plank flooring mounted on logs. The logs themselves can be installed according to concrete base. Another option is that they are a double wood cladding system, with a rough and finished floor and a space in between that can be filled with thermal insulation material. With any kind of floor revision, the boardwalk will have to be completely removed in order to open the logs for their inspection, repair and alignment.

  • If the condition of any of the logs causes even the slightest concern - there are cracks or areas with signs of wood decomposition, it is subject to unconditional replacement.
  • In the case when the distance between adjacent lags exceeds 500 mm, it will be necessary to install additional bars, otherwise even the thickest floorboard can bend in this place.
  • Be sure to align the lag horizontally. If they are securely embedded, and there is no way to change the height of the supports, this can be achieved. urging using a planer, or, conversely, building it up with a wooden plank.
  • Of course, if there is a subfloor, it should also be given a certain repair - replace dilapidated or cracked boards, eliminate possible distortions, squeaks, etc. When it is ready, both it and the logs are covered with a layer of dense waterproofing film.
  • If it has already become possible to get to the log and the subfloor, you should take the opportunity and treat all the details with antiseptic and water-repellent compounds. You should not attribute your unwillingness to carry out this procedure to the fact that such processing was carried out earlier, during the initial laying of the floor - the compositions are inexpensive, the process itself will not take much time, but the durability of the structure will increase for sure.
  • Literally every board of the removed flooring is checked for integrity, the presence of weak areas, cracks, clogged and bent unnecessary nails, etc. All boards with significant defects should be disposed of and replaced with fresh ones.
  • An important action that should not be forgotten is cleaning the boards of the finishing floor from old paint layers in case the subsequent laying of tiles is planned directly on them. Creating a reliable base for tiles involves working with a cleaned wood structure.

Such cleaning can be done in several ways:

So, paint or varnish can be removed in advance by scraping or using abrasive materials - grinding and polishing machines, sandpaper or special nozzles for a "grinder" or an electric drill.

Sometimes a chemical cleaning method is used - washing off the paint with the help of solvents. However, this is not the most the best way, because organic solvents are actively absorbed into the wood, violating its natural qualities and for a long time reminding of themselves with an unpleasant pungent odor.

widely used thermal method- using a building hair dryer or even a blowtorch. Under influence high temperatures the paintwork either burns out or melts to such a state that it is easy to remove it with an ordinary scraper (trowel).

  • Before proceeding with the re-assembly of the floorboards, it is possible to think over and additional insulation gender. Expanded clay can be poured between the lags, mats can be laid mineral wool or styrofoam boards. Additional thermal insulation will never hurt anyone.
  • The reverse flooring of the boards on the logs is not “solid”, but leaving a gap of 3-5 mm between them, it is necessary so that the wooden floor under the tiles has the opportunity to “breathe” and to compensate for possible linear fluctuations of the material. Another option - you can drill in the boards in random order through holes. Be sure to leave a gap near the walls around the entire perimeter of the room, about 10 mm. Any remaining gaps can be lightly covered with adhesive tape or mounting foam.
  • After the final installation of the floorboards on the logs with the help of self-tapping screws, a thorough quality control of the coating is once again carried out. If no shortcomings are identified, you can proceed to preparing the base for laying ceramic tiles.

Several ways to prepare the base for laying tiles

So, a repaired solid plank base has been obtained. How to proceed further in order to fully adapt it to laying ceramic tiles?

1. The tile is supposed to be laid directly on top of boards

  • First, you need to create a thin, but stable and reliable waterproofing layer. To do this, the wooden floor is thickly treated with hot drying oil, but this method is rather outdated, and besides, it is very unsafe, so it is better to use a latex impregnating composition. It is applied thickly with a wide brush on the floorboards, which immediately after that, without waiting for the composition to dry, are covered with a fine-mesh fiberglass painting mesh.
  • When latex composition completely dry, the grid for reliability should be fixed on the floor surface with galvanized self-tapping screws with wide caps.
  • The result is a durable waterproofing coating, which, in addition, has certain reinforcing properties.
  • Now it is tedious to achieve good adhesion of the tile adhesive to the resulting base. You can do it this way. Preparing a solution consisting of 2 parts large-fraction sand, 2 parts silicate glue (often referred to as "liquid glass"), and one part water. After thorough mixing, the resulting composition is evenly applied thin layer over the entire floor surface.

After complete drying, a rough monolithic surface will be obtained, completely ready for laying ceramic tiles.

Video: an example of laying tiles directly on the boardwalk

2. It is planned to fill a thin screed

  • If you look at the opinions of many experienced craftsmen, then some of them are categorically against laying tiles directly on a plank base. Their suggestion is to pour a small light screed over it.
  • Initial process - impregnation of floorboards waterproofing compound, does not change.
  • Further, along the perimeter, a damper tape should be glued to prevent deformation and destruction of the screed near the walls.
  • A system of beacons is installed, based on the thickness of the screed of about 30 mm. Between the beacons, you can additionally lay a thin metal or fiberglass mesh.
  • For screed, you can use the standard base cement-sand mortar with fine seeded sand (1: 3), but it is better to use special dry building mixtures, which contain fiber optic microreinforcement and plasticizers. Such a screed matures faster and is more durable for such conditions. In addition, nothing prevents the use of the technology of pouring a self-leveling compound.
  • After hardening and full maturation of the screed, it is treated with a primer, after which it can be considered ready for laying ceramic tiles.

3. The floorboards will be covered with plywood (chipboard, OSB)

If there is no desire to dilute dirt with a screed, the room does not belong to the category high humidity, but differs in a fairly intense dynamic load, then the plank base can be laid plywood sheets 10 mm thick. The thickness may be more, but we should not forget that this is an extra load on the logs and floorboards. By the way, here you can save on the floorboard - it is enough to lay it with an interval of even up to 150 -200 mm.

The work is carried out in next sequence:

  • The plank base, after antiseptic impregnation, is covered with a waterproofing material. In the case described, this role can be played by waxed, waxed or bitumen-impregnated construction paper, or even ordinary polyethylene film with a thickness of at least 200 microns.
  • Plywood sheets are laid out staggered, so that between them there must be a compensation gap of 5 to 10 mm. A similar gap is left around the perimeter of the room along the walls.
  • The plywood is attached to the plank base with self-tapping screws, with a pitch of no more than 150 - 200 mm, both along the perimeter of the sheet and along its plane. The heads of the self-tapping screws must be completely recessed into the thickness of the material.
  • After laying the plywood over the entire area of ​​the room, the expansion gaps between the sheets and along the walls are sealed with sealant or mounting foam. Excess material after it dries is cut off to the floor level.
  • The next step is to create a waterproofing reinforcing layer and prepare the surface for laying tiles. Here, in se in exactly the same way as described above for a wooden floor: latex impregnation → paint mesh → treatment with a silicate-sand composition.

After that, you can proceed directly to laying the tiles.

4. Wood floor close up gypsum fiber sheets (GVL)

This method is somewhat similar to the one described above (with plywood), but it also has its own characteristic features:

  • As a rule, GVL are equipped with a locking part for pairing adjacent sheets. In these places they are connected by a special adhesive composition and self-tapping screws. The use of self-tapping screws around the entire perimeter of the GVL and in its center is not required.
  • If the strength of the wooden base of the floor allows, and operational features the premises require special reliability of the coating, GVL can be laid in two layers. In this case, the second should be oriented perpendicular to the first. Coincidence of joints is not allowed.

Approximate scheme of the resulting "pie" with two layers of GVL

  • The GVL surface after treatment with a primer does not need any additional manipulations - it is ready for laying ceramic tiles.

The very process of laying tiles on a prepared wooden floor surface basically no different from conventional technology, which is discussed in detail. The only thing you should pay attention to is the brand of tile adhesive. It is best to choose a composition “for complex surfaces”, and for some adhesive mixtures, the instructions for use directly indicate the possibility of their use for laying tiles on a wooden base. Such installation of tiles will be more reliable.

Before putting ceramic tiles on a wooden floor, it is necessary to make sure that there is a solid and even base surface on which it is planned to perform the cladding.

Therefore, if a decision is made to ennoble the old wooden floor, then experts recommend doing preparatory work to strengthen and level it.

In this article you will find all necessary information for laying tiles on a wooden floor: what features you will have to face, how to prepare the old coating for laying and, of course, instructions with a video.

Can you tile on wood floors?

Indeed, this question arises in so many people, and we will answer it unambiguously - CAN. But with some conditions..


If the floorboards are squeaking and creaking, or if the wood floor has an uneven surface
, then experts recommend eliminating such defects in two ways:

  • Go through the floorboards and logs, providing additional points for attaching the floorboards. To do this, using a nail puller, the floorboards are carefully dismantled. With the help of a building level and wooden substrates, the logs are installed strictly horizontally. Floor boards are laid on top of them. With the help of long wood screws, we securely fasten them to the logs. If after this “procedure” the wooden floor is leveled, it does not squeak and does not creak, but you can start laying the tiles.
  • The second way to level the old wooden floor is to lay plywood or drywall sheets on top of the loose boards.

An interesting solution would be to use the so-called . Read more about this coverage here.

What else to consider

Even if the old wooden floor is in good condition, then before that, you need to take care of other nuances. For example, it is imperative to “tear off” the old paint, because in the future problems may arise due to it. It can be done mechanically, using an electric planer, spatula, knife, etc.

If the paint does not come off by itself, you can try to heat it with a building hair dryer.

It is also very desirable, before laying the tiles, to process the wooden floor special formulations for wood, which will help to serve the floor for a very long time. The final layer is the application of a primer. The primer should be chosen "for wood", this coating will improve the bonding of ceramic tiles to the floor.

Choosing the right floor tiles

Agreeing with common sense and millennia of experience, you've made the decision to tile your bathroom floor. The decision is reasonable. But now you need to choose the right material.

We will not give advice on texture, color or size. Every man to his own taste. And here the following factors, we'll consider:

  1. wear resistance. According to this parameter, absolutely any tile is suitable for the bathroom. Bare feet, or even being shod in slippers, ceramic tiles cannot be damaged. See.
  2. Dimensions. If this is your first time taking self-laying tiles, it is preferable to buy larger tiles. For example, 25x25 cm. It will be more convenient to work with it, and you will get fewer seams.
  3. Face shape. This is a very important question. Pay attention to whether there is a right angle on the edge between the front and end sides of the tile. The fact is that the seams between tiles with rounded edges, a priori, are larger. And for the bathroom, this is not acceptable, because joints between tiles weakness in floor covering. Water can linger in them, and this is the first step to the appearance of fungus.

Take the time to check every tile in the box. In the end, you are not buying a pig in a poke. And you don't have too much money. To test, place one tile on top of another. In places of contact, there should not be the slightest gap. Apply them not only with the front side, but also with the edges.

Do not be embarrassed by the arrogant views of the sellers - you will not baptize children with them.

Laying tiles on a wooden floor - instructions

If you decide to lay the tiles on the wooden floor yourself, then in order for it to serve you reliably long time we recommend doing the following:

  • Using a nail puller, carefully dismantle the old floorboards. With the help of wooden substrates and a building level, we install the logs strictly horizontally.
  • To increase the service life of the new floor, the logs are treated with special antiseptic impregnating compounds that prevent the formation of rot, mold, and wood-destroying bugs.
  • After the impregnation has dried, the gaps between the lags in the bathroom are covered with fine expanded clay to their upper level.
  • Across the lag, using wood screws, rough boards are fixed to them. Between them you need to leave a gap of up to one cm.
  • If as rough flooring used old boards it is desirable to remove old paint from them. For this, apply building hair dryer, chemical substances, mechanical way. The last option is the most popular. In a drill either grinder a metal brush is inserted and with its help the old paint is peeled off the surface of the boards.
  • Purified from old paint or the varnish of the board must be treated with an antiseptic composition of deep penetration. This will significantly increase their service life, protect against the formation and spread of mold and rot.
  • On top of the draft boards, experts recommend laying vapor and waterproofing: waxed, parchment, bituminous paper or plastic wrap. Is it possible to lay tiles without waterproofing? You can, but it's better to play it safe.
  • Substrate is laid on top of the insulating layer. For which drywall sheets are used or cement particle board up to 2 cm thick. It serves as the basis for laying ceramic tiles on a wooden floor. The sheets are securely fastened to draft boards using wood screws with a pitch of approximately 15-20 cm. Considering that the boards will change their dimensions under the influence of moist ambient air, it is necessary to leave a gap of about 10 mm between the substrate and the walls, which is sealed with mounting foam.

  • Experts recommend covering the laid base from sheets of drywall or plywood with drying oil or latex impregnation. The applied layer should be thick and thick. Until it dries, a reinforcing paint mesh is laid on it. This will create a monolithic surface.
  • After the coated surface of the substrate has dried, it is laid on it metal grid. We fix it to the leveled base surface using self-tapping screws.
  • The reinforcing metal mesh is covered with a special mixture consisting of one part of water combined with two parts of sand and liquid glass.
  • The composition is evenly applied to the entire surface of the substrate from sheets of drywall or plywood. After drying, a reliable and even base surface for laying ceramic tiles is obtained.

  • Experts recommend putting tiles in water for 10-20 minutes before laying. She will feed necessary quantity moisture, as a result of which it will be less drawn out of the solution used to fix the tiles.
  • To choose best option laying tiles with minimal waste, you can lay them out on the bathroom floor without glue.
  • Ceramic tiles are fixed to a wooden floor using, which can be bought at a various hardware store in the form of a dry mix. To prepare a working solution, it is enough to dilute it with water. But it must be remembered that the finished suspension is viable for no more than two hours.
  • the working solution is applied to the wooden floor and tiles using a notched trowel.
  • Having laid the tile in place, be sure to check its alignment in the plane, using building level.
  • Protruding excess adhesive mixture it is recommended to clean immediately with a clean cloth after laying the tiles.
  • Before laying the next tile on the wooden floor, it is necessary to insert plastic crosses between the tiles to make the joints even.
  • A day after the completion of laying tiles on a wooden floor, it is necessary.

Video instruction

For clarity, watch the video with installation instructions. Here the stage of direct work with tiles and ceramic tiles is described in detail, as for the wooden floor, work with it is of a preparatory nature and is described above in this article.

Following these instructions, you can lay tiles on an old wooden floor without any problems.

Tsugunov Anton Valerievich

Reading time: 4 minutes

Laying tiles on a wooden floor is in most cases a difficult and troublesome task. This is due to the fact that very careful preparation of the base is required. Often this procedure is impractical: the tree is very mobile, it constantly expands or narrows. This creates an increased load on ceramics and tile adhesive. The first begins to crack, the second - to crumble. As a result, the floor covering may simply fall off. To avoid the troubles listed above, it is necessary to strictly observe the technology of laying ceramic tiles on wooden floors.

Floor preparation

Typically, a wooden floor is a plank floor laid on. Before laying tiles, you need to make sure that the base is strong and reliable. If necessary, carry out repair and restoration work. In this case, they act as follows:

  • First, the quality of the log and the subfloor is checked. This is especially true for old floors. To do this, you will have to completely remove the boards or wood boards. If there is even any doubt about the quality or reliability of an individual log or board, then it must be replaced.

Important! The step between the lags should not exceed 50 cm: the tile will give an additional load on the boards, if the distance is too large, they will bend. If this rule is not observed, additional lags will have to be installed.

  • Logs should form a perfectly flat horizontal surface.
  • The rough floor and logs must be treated with an antiseptic, which is necessary to protect the tree from the damaging effects of fungus, dampness, mold, etc.
  • Then they move on to wooden deck: they also check the quality of boards or plates, if necessary, replace them, remove the old coating (lacquer or paint).
  • The plank base is laid on the logs and the quality of the resulting coating is checked, protruding nails or screws are removed, and polished.

But even now it is too early to start laying tiles on a wooden floor in a bathroom or any other room. The technology of fixing ceramics itself is not much different from the traditional one, but the base requires additional preparation in one of the following ways.

Laying directly on boards

Is it possible to lay tiles on a wooden floor without an additional layer? This option is the least reliable, and therefore the least used.

The order of work will be as follows:

  • First you need to provide waterproofing. To do this, the boards are covered with a thick layer protective agent. You can use hot drying oil in the old fashioned way or prefer a more modern latex composition.
  • Without waiting for the waterproofing agent to dry, a fiberglass masking net is laid.
  • When the reinforcing coating is laid, and protective layer dried, the mesh is fixed with self-tapping screws.
  • The surface is covered with a primer solution, which will enhance the adhesion of the floor.
  • Finally, the surface is covered with the following mixture: sand, liquid glass(or silicate glue) and water in a 2:2:1 ratio.

After drying, you can start laying floor tiles.

On wood boards (OSB, chipboard, plywood)

This is the so-called "dry" method. When preparing the floor in this way, you do not have to mess with solutions. However, this option is suitable for dry rooms, where the humidity level is not higher than average, and water rarely gets on the floor. Preparation for laying tiles on a wooden floor is carried out as follows:

  • The boards are treated with an antiseptic.

If wood boards are laid on top, then the boards themselves can be laid loosely. The gap can be up to 15 cm.

  • After the impregnation has dried, a waterproofing agent is applied on top. In this case, you will need plastic wrap or special construction paper (bituminous, waxed, etc.).
  • Lay out the sheets. Plates should lie apart and loosely. The gap between them should be 5-10 mm. This is necessary to compensate for the expansion of the sheets. Compensation gaps leave also around the perimeter of the entire room.
  • The plates are fixed along the perimeter of the room and along the length with the help of self-tapping screws. Hats should completely go into the sheet. As a result, the surface should remain flat.
  • Compensation gaps are covered with sealant or foam. After drying, the excess sealant is cut off so that the material does not rise above the base. Then even laying of ceramics will be possible.
  • A reinforced layer of waterproofing is also applied to the slabs, as described above.
  • Then the surface is also treated with a primer and or OSB.

Thin screed

There are more reliable ways to lay tiles. One of them is filling. thin screed. This technique will protect the tile from the constant fluctuations of expanding and contracting wood.

  • They also begin with the processing of the boards: first with an antiseptic, and then with a waterproofing compound.
  • A special tape is glued around the perimeter of the room, which will not allow the screed to collapse at the points of contact with the wall.
  • Install beacons. Usually the thickness of a light screed does not exceed 3 cm. Beacons are installed at an appropriate height.

It is desirable to reinforce the base. To do this, a mesh of metal or fiberglass is laid between the beacons.

  • Prepare a screed solution. This can be a standard mixture of cement, sand and water, prepared according to the instructions. But it's better to use more modern facilities containing plasticizers, reinforcing elements, etc., for example, self-leveling floor.

On a wooden floor will require considerable effort in the preparation phase

How to lay tiles on a wooden floor yourself: the complexity and features of the process

Generally speaking, ceramics are far from the best option for combining with wood. This is due to the different characteristics of these two materials:

  • wood tends to change its dimensions as a result of exposure external factors: when the humidity rises, the tree expands, when it decreases, on the contrary, it can dry out. In many cases, this leads to deformation tiled flooring and the appearance of cracks;
  • unlike tiles, wood is highly susceptible to different kind destructive processes and is much inferior to the service life of ceramics. Therefore, it is often possible to encounter a situation where, due to the destruction wooden substrate you have to dismantle the tile;
  • tile coating, together with water-repellent glue, blocks the access to wood of oxygen, which is necessary for the full service of the tree. As a result - a significant reduction in the duration of the service life of the base;
  • only the lightest tiles can be used for laying on top. Otherwise, its weight will be too large for a wooden base and over time the tile will fail.

So, can you tile on a wooden floor? Can. But that's enough difficult process. If you are still confident in your decision to put ceramic tiles on top of a wooden floor, be prepared that you will need to put in a lot of effort. But the result is worth it, so let's move on to preparing the foundation. Consider step by step how to lay tiles on a wooden floor.

Helpful advice! It is strongly not recommended to lay tiles on top of a wooden floor, from the moment of installation of which at least two years have not passed. This is fraught with the fact that in the process of shrinkage the tile will crack.

The main requirements for holding data construction works, look like this:

  • ensure oxygen access to the lower layers of the coating (wood);
  • distribute evenly permissible loads over the entire surface;
  • ensure the stability of the base.

In order for all these points to be observed, it is necessary to plan the order of work and follow the plan. It would also be useful to look various videos about how to put tile on the wooden floor.

Assessment of the state of the coating: is it possible to lay tiles on a wooden floor?

The first stage involves a thorough inspection and assessment of the condition of the wooden base. For this top boards it is best to remove and carefully inspect all structural elements: beams, logs, each board on both sides, insulation, etc.

If there are any signs of damage, it is imperative to replace or repair the base section. What you should pay special attention to:

  • the presence of decay. There are a lot of types of rot, so you need to carefully examine the surface. Regardless of the type of fungus that generates this process, the wood softens, changing its color or structure. Checking for the presence of rotting elements is carried out as follows: you need to stick an awl into any fragment that causes you suspicion. Easy entry is a reliable indicator of destructive processes in wood. All affected elements must be eliminated, and adjacent parts treated with special antiseptic agents for wood;
  • woodworm larvae. These insects destroy wood, gnawing through many passages in it. To solve the problem, the same approach is used as in the first case - replacing the damaged area and careful treatment with a special composition.

Most of the destructive processes for wood develop as a result of high humidity. Therefore, installing tiles on a wooden floor in a bathroom requires special attention. In dry rooms, the development of fungi can occur as a result of a violation of the integrity of the heat-insulating layer. Given these factors, it is worth carefully checking the waterproofing materials for damage. You may need to add an extra layer.

Helpful advice! Fungal spores are found in almost any wood. The only way to keep them from ruining the floor is to quality processing antiseptics and create the most unsuitable living conditions for them.

If none of the above deficiencies were found on your floor, or you have already eliminated all existing defects, then you can lay tiles on a wooden floor.

How to lay tiles on plywood: preparatory stages of work

Before you start preparing for laying ceramic tiles on a wooden floor, you need to make sure that the distance between the lags does not exceed 50 cm. Otherwise, additional supports must be installed, otherwise the structure may not support the weight of the coating and fail. As useful source information, you can use the videos presented on the network: how to lay tiles on a wooden floor is considered in them in sufficient detail.

Helpful advice! Do not forget to treat all new wooden elements with antiseptic agents.

Next, you need to check how smooth the lags are, for which the building level is used. As a rule, in the process of shrinkage, irregularities appear due to uneven subsidence. wooden parts. All these defects must be eliminated by scraping off excess elements with a planer, or vice versa - additional lining of small pieces of bricks or any other material. If it is not possible to push the missing element under the bottom, you can fill an additional board from above, trimming it to the required height.

After leveling, it is necessary to treat the coating against fungus and bacteria. To do this, use the tool with the longest possible break between re-treatments and follow all the recommendations specified in the instructions.

The most common surface treatment before laying ceramic tiles on a wooden floor is hot drying oil. For high-quality protection, it must be reapplied several times (up to five). The tool is a completely natural, environmentally friendly impregnation. Each next layer of drying oil is applied after the previous one has completely dried. You can verify the drying by touching the surface - it should not be sticky.

The main thing in the process of processing with drying oil is not to let it cool down, because its antiseptic effect directly depends on the temperature: the hotter it is, the better it destroys larvae, spores and bacteria. In addition, in the hot state, drying oil is more liquid and can penetrate deeper into micro-crevices.

Helpful advice! Heating drying oil is an unsafe process. Its vapors can ignite, therefore it is strictly forbidden to put the container on the stove. When heating the septic tank, hold it over the stove and, just in case, prepare a piece of tarp with which you can put out the source of ignition.

How to lay tiles on a wooden floor: the necessary cleaning of the boards

If all the previously removed boards are in a satisfactory condition, they can be reinstalled, having previously cleaned them of the old varnish or paint with which they were covered. This can be done while you are waiting for the antiseptic solution to dry completely.

To remove varnish and paint residues from the surface of the boards, you can use the following methods:

  • building hair dryer, set to a temperature of 200-250 ° C. A stream of hot air must be directed to the paint, as a result of which it will begin to swell with bubbles. To remove it, use a spatula, knife or scraper. In some sources you can find recommendations for the use blowtorches, however, this is not very good idea. There is a high probability of wood overheating, and, as a result, deterioration of its technical characteristics;
  • chemical washes are a gel-like mass and are sold in almost all hardware stores. Such a wash must be evenly applied to the surface and after a while removed with a spatula along with softened paint. The only drawback of this method is the considerable cost of the material when it comes to processing. large area gender;
  • mechanical cleaning involves peeling off paint from the surface with a spatula or sandpaper without using auxiliary materials. It's cheap but takes a very long time. A sanding machine will help speed up the process at times.

If after removing the coating you find any defects that were not noticed before, it is better to replace damaged areas. In addition, all boards are subject to mandatory antibacterial treatment. After the impregnation is completely absorbed, you can start laying the subfloor under the tile.

How to lay ceramic tiles on a wood floor: Subfloor decking

The process of laying a subfloor begins with the laying of an insulating layer. The material you choose must be non-hygroscopic. This will keep the under tile dry and prevent bacteria and fungus from growing there. Also, the material should have a minimum weight in order to create as little load as possible.

Extruded propylene foam can be considered a suitable option. Due to its synthetic origin, it prevents the development of any living organisms on its surface. True, this material also has disadvantages: it does not pass air well and has a considerable cost.

Alternatively, expanded clay can be used. It is natural and highly breathable. However, it has more weight and a more hygroscopic structure.

Whatever insulation you prefer, it must be laid out on top of the waterproofing layer

Mineral wool was used as a heater for the floor

If you want underfloor heating under tiles on a wooden floor, then in this case it is better to seek help from professionals. Installation of the system is quite complex and requires a certain level of skill.

When all the boards are laid and fixed, they can be puttied and then leveled using a grinder. All cracks must be sealed with mounting foam. It is elastic enough to allow the wood to expand, yet able to bear the weight of the tile and adhesive.

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