Preping concrete floor for tile

[Will]

Hi all,

We have a 40 year old house with a concrete slab floor.

We would like to put porcelain tile down on this floor.

Because of the age of the floor, and the are we live in, there’s been some shifting, cracking, and settling.

We had a contractor come by to make sure there wasn’t any structural problems, and he assured us that the floor was “normal” for the area, age, etc. and that there weren’t any glaring problems (like the walls shifting).

We have filled the cracks, and tried some small boxes of concrete to help get the floor leveled, but we’re just not sure that we’re doing it correctly, or how much we have to do, etc.

Can anyone give us some advice?

[Matt]

try this site. read as many posts as you can to get some ideas of what you’re in for.

http://www.floorstransformed.com/ceramic_tile/page_1.html

[carl]

You can also use mortar that flexes slightly if you are concerned about subtle shifting of the foundation. Also you need to test the concrete for porosity by leaving a small puddle of water on it, then seeing if it soaks in within a day or so. If the concrete lacks porosity you will need to treat it prior to bonding tile. Good Luck

[Author]

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