Laying a Tile Floor Over Linoleum Covered Concrete

Adhesion

• First and foremost before you can install any tile on top of a linoleum floor, you need to ensure that the bond between the linoleum and the concrete is still structurally sound. Loose pieces that have bubbled up or completely come loose over the years need to be checked to see if they were single anomalies or proof of an underlying issue with moisture or something else that is breaking the bond with the concrete. If everything appears solid and adhered, you have less to worry about.

Moisture

• Concrete is porous and breathes, as does thinset mortar and the grout between the joints of tile. Linoleum does not. This can be an issue in humid climates because it can create a trap for moisture that will eventually wear out the thinset mortar and cause tiles to pop off the floor. If the tile cannot breathe properly the moisture will never fully dissipate, leading to water damage over the years.

Surface Adhesion

• Second behind the fact that the linoleum needs to be adhered to the concrete slab is the fact that the surface of linoleum is not rated for use with thinset mortar. Mortar will not bond with the surface of linoleum unless it has been heavily sanded, such as with a drum sander or a belt sander of some type. Only after the linoleum has been roughed up can you think about installing tile over the top.

Fabric Membranes

• Another option if you don’t want to spend the time to rough up the surface of the installation is to purchase a waterproof fabric with a tar-based adhesive on the backside. The membrane is rolled out across the floor, cut to fit, overlapped by 2 inches at least at all points where it meets another layer and then stuck to the floor after the protective layer on the back is peeled off and the tar can stick to the linoleum. The tile installation is installed on top of this.