porcelain tile install

What article? It's not necessary, but slower and doable. Setting over a fresh (just floated and loose) mortar bed, it's one way, but not recommended for the amatuer.

it just seems to me that buttering individual tiles, while definitely slower, is a bit more forgiving of having trouble with one or more tiles while your thinset is hardening on the floor.

On the other hand there really isn't any continuous bed of thinset this way. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing.

ml

Was it this article? :-)

"Applying the thinset mortar to the tile instead of the floor will result in a flatter and cleaner tile floor. Foundations tend to draw moisture away from the mortar causing it to dry very quickly. Beginners will benefit from this technique as they will have more time to work at a slower pace. In addition, because this method of application offers

Don't worry about a continuous bead of thinset. Bonding is the key. Combing thinset on the subvstrate is quicker and provides the recommended 80-100% bonding coverage required.

Either way you want to do it will be fine.

I can't imagine why "porcelain" would have anything to do with it. Or why it could improve coverage, you're covering the floor 100 percent to start with.

Our "pro" just did ours (16" porcelain) the normal way..Notched trowel, right on the floor (3/8" ply stapled/glued to 3/4" T&G sturdifloor)

what can I tell you. I didn't write it. I just read it. I suppose I could speculate wildly about possible reasons why. But I won't.

Nothing about improving coverage either in the paragraphs I read or in my post.

Aren't you done yet? Told you that backbuttering was slower ;o)

"Pro"? Using 3/8" ply for a substrate? Nuh uh..

I got news for you, 3/8" ply is a perfectly acceptable substrate if covered with isolation membrane such as Kerdi.

Eh, so? I got news for you, isolation membrane wasn't mentioned. But since you butted i nwith it, Hardibacker in and of itself is a superior substrate to 3/8" ply covered with anything.

-end of conversation-

Whats the problem with that ? The "general" normally has him use a cheap but dense 3/8" 'chipboard' sheet material (not OSB-not MDF) that you can break into pieces with your hand. The name escapes me right now. The tile guy ( 25+ yrs in the business, doing most of the custom 700K-1.2M neighborhood) and I agreed that although a little more $$, ply , glued and stapled to the structurefloor (for a total of 1 1/8" ) was the better way to go. We've been walking on the floor a year now and no problems.

R.

Chip board, cushioned vinyl flooring, particle boards of any type, luan plywood, OSB (Oriented Strand Board), tongue & groove planking, and hardwood floors are unsuitable substrates to directly install ceramic tile over.

Although it can be done successfully, many experts believe that ceramic tile installed directly to plywood surfaces should be avoided whenever possible. Plywood has a smooth surface and tends to swell, warp, and delaminate when it is exposed to moisture. Install at your own risk.

Since the tile is installed "inside" the home, I don't anticipate any moisture exposure in there. This process has worked fine in our homes so far over many years. The only time I had plywood delaminate "inside" was when one house was being built. Before it was dried in, it rained for a week, THEN 2 sheets of probably 20 of the ply delaminated.

I don't anticipate any rain in this one since we've been living in it for over a year now.