Porcelain tile makes a good flooring choice in a bathroom due to the water-resistant nature of the tiles. If you would like to install porcelain tile over an upstairs bathroom floor that already has linoleum flooring, you don't necessarily have to remove the floor. Although not advised, you can lay tile over linoleum flooring.
Floor Weight-Limit
One important factor to consider before installing porcelain tile in an upstairs bathroom is the sturdiness of the bathroom floor. Porcelain tiles weigh considerably more than linoleum, so you must be certain that the bathroom subfloor can withstand the weight before you attempt to install the tiles. The standard floor joists in most homes do provide enough support for tile floors, but if you are unsure, you should consult with a builder regarding the subfloors in your upstairs bathroom.
Removing the Flooring Is Best
Construction experts, including Danny Lipford and Paul Fisette of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, don't generally advise laying tile directly over linoleum flooring. The best course of action is to completely remove the linoleum from the floor before installing the tile. Linoleum flooring can be removed from a bathroom floor by using a putty knife to peel up one edge of the flooring and then pulling the flooring up by hand. If this process proves difficult, you can also use a utility knife to cut the linoleum floor into sections first and remove each section separately.
Cover the Flooring With an Underlay
If you don't want to remove the linoleum flooring from an upstairs bathroom prior to installing tile, you should at least cover the linoleum flooring with an underlay. Recommended underlays for a tile floor include plywood or tile backerboard, either of which provides a sturdy, even surface over which to install the tile. Firm underlays, such as plywood and backerboard, generally install to a subfloor by laying panels of the underlay next to each other on the floor and securing them to the floor with nails.
Installing the Tile
Once you have an appropriate underlay on the floor, you can lay tiles as usual. Begin by finding the floor's center, and lay tiles in the middle of the floor first, working out toward the walls to get a centered design. Apply thinset mortar over the underlay, and press each tile down into the mortar. After the tiles dry for a day, apply grout and caulking to the spaces in the tiles and brush waterproof sealant over the grout and caulking to fully waterproof the floor.
Tags: bathroom floor, linoleum flooring, before installing, floor Porcelain, grout caulking, linoleum flooring, over linoleum