Wood laminate flooring over ceramic tile?

[Richard W. Foster]

Hi Home Repair Gurus,

I have never been steered wrong by you guys before so I am counting on your help again, so here goes:

Seven years ago I installed (glued and screwed) cement board to a vinyl over plywood floor. I installed glossy (ewww) ceramic tiles to the cement board. Now I have come to my decorative senses and I want Hardwood flooring instead of the tile. The tiles are not very even (my talents were undeveloped then) and I am not keen on the idea of taking another 3/4 inch away from the height of the room and I think it will develop problems with time on the uneven tiles. My wife who hates the idea of tearing out the tiles and cement board sez to install a floating floor with a membrane and all will be well. What do you think? Is she right again?

[bambam]

Tearing out the old is tedious (you can rent a chipper) but In my view, you said it all when you said "I think it will develop problems with time" ... even if it doesn't, you'll be waiting for it to.

Certainly, the correct way would be to get down to a good subsurface. Particularly since you say the tiles are uneven and the laminate floors demand a flat substrate. That's what I'd do in my home.

However, your wife is right in that you probably can get away with going over top of the tiles. If they're badly uneven, you can use a kerfed laminate (glue down), and you can buy or make transition strips to handle the differing heights where it meets other flooring.

By "membrane", I assume you mean the foam pad on which laminate is installed. No need for a *membrane* that I can thnk of.

Ken

[CLSSM00X7]

Hi, As long as the flooring under the new wood floor is secure it will work perfectly. if not, tear it out and lay a subfloor.

candice

[zinc]

Read the manufacturers instructions, pay _close_ attention to the allowable tolerances for dips/variances. Generally 3/16" in a 10 ft radius is the maximum variation allowed.

This is why people say laminates have a hollow sound, they failed to level the dips and are bridging them. This is also the reason the tongues break because of the flex in the laminate where it has bridged a dip or went over a high spot.

If you do decide to go with laminate over tile, don't make the mistake of shortcutting the prep work.

[montana]

Any area of the floor that isn't flat and smooth will cause the laminate to dip or dimple over time.