Tips on tiling in a house on blocks

puppsmummy

I purchased a fixer upper that is on blocks. Other than using Ditra is there any tip on laying tile and preventing cracking?

Bud Cline

What makes you think DITRA is the answer?

What's the floor made of now?
What size are the floor joists?
What is the species of the floor joists?
What is the spacing of the floor joists?
What is the unsupported span of the floor joists?
What material is on top of the floor joists and how thick is it?
What do mean it is on blocks?

fixrite

I am guessing it is on a cinder block foundation......but just guessing..

puppsmummy

The house is on cinder blocks. We hope to change that with piers eventually. The joists are 24 inches apart and i beleive 2x12. We are not excited about the sub floor. Have not interigated but seems to be 1x6 with a half inch sub floor and old hard wood on top. House built is 1960. Dont know type of wood but joists are SOLID.

Bud Cline

Floor joists twenty-four inches on center are problematic at best and will require a second layer of plywood to counteract deflection between the joists. The thicker the better. Ceramic tile is sometimes discouraged with such a structural arrangement but not impossible.

DITRA wouldn't be the answer unless the subfloor is beefed up a little.