DIY Home Improvement Forum banner

Building up Mud or Other Options...??

1594 Views 3 Replies 2 Participants Last post by  Bud Cline
I have a finished basement (with concrete subfloor) that has half the floor tiled with ceramic tile and the rest with carpet. I have removed the carpet (due to unruly pets) and decided to replace with matching tile. This would be my first time working with tile. My issue is that I would need approx. 3/8" of thin set mortar/mud to bring the new tile level with the existing tile. Should I put the mud on extra thick to make the floor level or should I use some other material as a spacer. I appreciate any advice, thanks in advance.
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
and decided to replace with matching tile.
That's not likely to happen but let's go on!:)


I would need approx. 3/8" of thin set mortar/mud to bring the new tile level with the existing tile.
Why is that? How was the original tile installed?

Should I put the mud on extra thick to make the floor level
If you are referring to thinset tile mortar...it doesn't work like that. It's not that easy and applied that thick it would shrink and take the tile with it more than likely.

Back to my earlier question: How was the other tile installed?:)
2
I have attached a picture to show what I am talking about.

I am not sure how the other tile was installed as the previous owner of the house did the tile work before we bought the house. I can't really tell since there is a metal edging strip covering the edge of the existing tile.

I was pretty lucky in that the previous owner left behind some spare tiles with barcode stickers on them, just a quick call to the local Lowes solved that problem.

Attachments

See less See more
OK now we're getting places.

Looks like that existing tile is installed over tile backer board which is a typical installation and you would do the same. Not a problem I can see.

Here's the problem I do see:


previous owner left behind some spare tiles with bar-code stickers on them, just a quick call to the local Lowes solved that problem
Those bar codes mean nothing. I doubt the tile is going to be a perfect match but you may have gotten lucky if you haven't seen a shade/color variance thus far.

You need tile backer. It gets installed with unmodified thinset mortar and fasteners according to the specific backer board manufacturers recommendations. The tile can then be installed using modified thinset mortar. Use the proper trowel for both. Everything should match up pretty close.:)

If tile continues were the metal edge is now you will have to sacrifice those few tiles to remove the metal edge, it is trapped under the tiles. Once you have removed those tiles you can add your adjacent backer board then pick up on the same layout and go from there.:)

Remove all the grout surrounding those sacrificial tiles before you try to remove them. The tile base baords can stay in place but remove the grout at the floor/wall juncture also before trying to remove the tiles.:)
See less See more
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top