I have an outdoor shopping center that has a water fountain 35 years old. the ceramic tile inside the fountain has seen its finer days and needs to replaced. The construction people say the tile is embeded too firmly to be removed and that they only way to improve is to buy tile designed to be affixed over exisiting tile.
I don't know about such tiles. Does the method really work? Where on the web can I find vendors of this type of tile?
best, Aaron
Post at
The answer will probably be yes as long as the existing tile is firmly attached and clean. As far as I know (I am a DYIer) you do not need a special tile other than what is usually use for that application. You will need a special/high-quality thinset to set the tiles.
snipped-for-privacy@pacbell.net wrote:
If you don't trust your "construction people", go get new ones. If you do trust them, then trust them. If they don't know where to get the tiles, then don't trust them to do the job and go get someone new.
Just tell them to go bring you a dozen samples (or go the the supplier with you) and to make a mock up of tile over tile for you to see. After they do the mock up, have them explain it to you. Then try pulling it apart and see what happens.
snipped-for-privacy@pacbell.net spake thus:
I don't think this actually has anything to do with the type tile you use, since it doesn't contact the existing layer of tile; it's all about the mortar you use to attach the tile. As someone else here said, there may be special mortar ("thinset") made for going over existing tile. You'll probably need to wash the old tile first with something like muriatic acid before tiling.
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Ask the community — no account required