Can You Lay Spanish or Italian Tile Over a Latex Painted Porch Floor?

Cement Backerboard

• Install cement backerboard over your latex-painted subfloor before installing Spanish or Italian tile. Cement backerboard levels your floor, provides a barrier between your tile and concrete and establishes a strong surface for your mortar, tile and grout application. Latex paint and other sealants can chip, erode and deteriorate over time making it difficult for mortar to properly adhere to your subfloor.

Paint Removal on Concrete

• If you don't want to install cement backerboard because your patio is exposed to frequent heavy rains and long-term humidity, you can remove latex paint before installing Spanish or Italian tile. Purchase a heavy duty paint remover or paint stripper from your local hardware store for a concrete patio floor. Follow the instructions on the can and wear protective hand, face and knee equipment during the paint removal process. Avoid using paint removers and paint strippers on wood surfaces that could damage the integrity of the wood.

Mortar

• Mortar is an adhesive compound made from cement, sand and water that is used to secure tiles to a porch floor. Due to chemicals in latex paint, the paint is unable to provide a secure bond between your Spanish and Italian tiles and your subfloor. Mortar does not properly adhere to the glossy texture in latex paint and potentially causes tiles to shift, slide, crack or buckle. Mortar does adhere to untreated wood and unpainted concrete surfaces.

Grout and Sealant

• Apply grout, a cement compound that is slightly more watery than mortar, to the gaps between your tiles once you have installed them. Grout does not stick to latex paint, so you must remove or cover the paint first. Grout provides a moisture barrier that helps keep water from seeping down between the tiles into your mortar, cement backerboard and sublfoor. Once your grout has dried, apply a spray or liquid sealer to your grout to ensure its waterproofing capabilities.