How to Use Ceramic Tile Floor in a House on Pier & Beam Foundation

When homes are built in flood-prone areas, such as along the coast or near a river, special precautions are taken to protect the house and minimize the inevitable damage from rising floodwaters. One step that is taken is to elevate the house by placing it on supports built from piers and beams. Another step that you can take is to replace a carpeted or hardwood floor with ceramic tile. Hardwood and carpet can be ruined during a flood, but a tile floor can survive the flooding, although it will need to be cleaned afterward.

Pry bar
Vacuum
Mild cleansing detergent
Mop
Tape measure
Chalk line
Thiniset mortar
Notched trowel
Tile spacers
Wet saw
Safety goggles
Ear protection
Gloves
Putty knife or 5-in-1 painter's tool
Needle-nose pliers
Grout
Grout float
Sponge
Bucket
Paper towels

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the existing floor surface by tearing up the carpet or prying up the hardwood floor.
- 2
  Vacuum the subfloor and wash it with a mild cleanser to provide a clean surface for the mortar.
- 3
  Measure the length of each wall and mark the center of the wall along the base. Snap a chalk line between the center points on opposite walls. This divides the floor into four equal sections.
- 4
  Prepare a batch of thinset mortar, following the instructions on the packaging.
- 5
  Begin applying the thinset inside one of the quadrants in the center of the room. Apply the mortar with the smooth edge of a notched trowel, then create grooves in the thinset with the notched side. Cover an area that measures about 2 feet by 3 feet.
- 6
  Lay the first tile into the thinset, positioning the tile so that one corner is placed in the corner of the quadrant where you spread the thinset.
- 7
  Place tile spacers around the tile, then lay more tiles, working toward the side wall. Stop when you either reach the side wall or can't lay a full-sized tile, then return to the center of the room.
- 8
  Lay another row of tiles, using the same process, but work toward the front wall. When you are finished, the two perpendicular rows will look like the letter "L."
- 9
  Fill the rest of the section with the tiles, then lay the tiles in the other three sections, using the same technique.
- 10
  Cut tiles to fit along the edges of the floor with a wet saw. Place thinset onto the floor, then lay those tiles. Allow the thinset to set for about an hour.
- 11
  Remove mortar that seeped up through the joints between the tiles with a straightedge tool like a putty knife or 5-in-1 painter's tool, and use needle-nose pliers to remove the tile spacers.
- 12
  Prepare a batch of grout, following the manufacturer's instructions.
- 13
  Begin applying the grout in the back corners of the floor with a grout float. Fill the joints between the tiles by moving the float diagonally across the tiles. Make several passes over the same area to ensure that the joints are filled with grout before moving on to the next section. Allow the grout to set for about a half hour.
- 14
  Wipe the grout off the tiles with a damp sponge. Rinse the sponge frequently as you clean the tiles. Allow the tiles to sit for about 45 minutes.
- 15
  Wipe the tiles off with paper towels to remove the hazy film on the surface.

Floating Floors That Look Like Stone

Grouting System for Tile

Floors