How to Install Ceramic Tile Over Old Vinyl Flooring
- 1). Re-glue any part of the vinyl floor that's peeling, loose or moves in any way. Use the putty knife to pry the loose parts of the vinyl so you can get your glue under them. Let the glue set.
- 2). Dull the shine of the vinyl, running the belt sander across the entire surface and getting it flat and free of gloss. Clean up the dust.
- 3). Divide the floor into four even sections (with two intersecting lines) with the chalk snapline. Spread tile adhesive in one section, at the corner by the intersection, and press the first ceramic tile into place.
- 4). Lay additional tiles and build out toward the walls, using the lines as guides. Put tile spacers between the tiles as you lay them. Cut the end tiles as needed with your tile cutter. Pull out the tile spacers and let the tiles set overnight.
- 5). Mix your grout as instructed on the packaging, getting it to the consistency of thick mud. Apply it over the tiled surface with your grout trowel, pressing it into the lines between the tiles and squeezing it off the tile face. Let it sit in the lines for a minute, then wipe it down with a damp sponge to take up the excess. Let the grout cure for two to three days before using the floor.