The cost of tiling is often one of the pricier items in a renovation, second only to furniture. This is due to the relatively high labor costs involved. The typical procedure involves removing the old tiles before laying the new ones. Clients often ask if it's possible to lay new tiles directly over the old ones to save on time and effort. While DECOLAND usually doesn't recommend this, it can be done under certain conditions:
1. If the original flooring is ceramic tiles and you're planning to lay new ceramic tiles over it, this can be considered. However, if you wish to lay solid wood flooring, which requires the installation of joists, the old tiles must be removed.
2. The old tiles should be in good condition: no significant hollow sounds, cracks, noticeable damages, or tiles lifting up. The floor's level discrepancy should be less than 3mm.
3. If the original flooring is wood, it can remain in place if you're laying composite flooring using adhesive. However, if you're planning to lay new ceramic tiles or solid wood flooring, the wooden floor must be removed first. Both ceramic tiles and wood flooring require cement, and water can damage the existing wood floor, compromising the foundation and making the newly laid tiles unstable.
To achieve high-quality tiling, the preparatory work is crucial, as it affects the entire tiling process's quality. Therefore, we generally recommend removing the old flooring and starting afresh. After all, a renovation often lasts a decade or more, and any repair work in between can be quite complicated. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our renovation consultants for further information!
