Debbie I did not know you could put hardwood on top of tile, I always thought you had to pull it up regardless of the shape the tile was in. You taught me something knew again :)
More great info, Debbie. As you point out, one of the great concerns is with elevation issues.
Debbie, you certainly know all about flooring...I didn't know you could put hardwood on tile....good informative post...suggested.
Not something that I have done, probably because was always advised against, but all your points are really correct. Thank you for the coaching.
Make it a great weekend!
Mark - So glad to hear that!
George - So glad to to hear that, too.
Tom - Yes, that sometimes is the deal iller.
Rebecca - Thank you so much. Glad I was able to share something, too.
Joe - Yes, when you can, it's better to rip up the tile, but sometimes it can be rather costly and messy, so this is an alternative.
More great info Debbie! I love reading your blog and learning about all the different types of flooring and different techniques.
Thanks for the info. I knew most of it. Anything is possible just depends on what it costs.
Debbie, thanks for another useful post, and congrats on getting featured!
Debbie, the increase in floor height must make this option difficult for some homeowners.
I have seen hardwood floors installed over tile. I have to agree that the tile must be in good condition.
Such great information Debbie. So many people have tile in their kitchens and would prefer hardwood.
Debbie,
Great info, thanks for sharing it. Congratulations on your feature post!
The patterned hardwood flooring in the old Victorian homes we list and sell are solid. Often the second or third layer of wood on the floors under the sub floor, original underlayment material.
Good question we were just thinking of doing this thanks for sharing how to do it. Have a great weekend.
Hi Julia - Great to see you again.
Jamanda - Thank you so much. That means a ton to me.
Bill - Yes, very true
Brian - Thank you so much.
Richie - So glad to hear that.
Thanks for the tips but I just can't get myself to do this. I am an old dog that can learn new tricks but I guess I am traditional in this regard.
This is great information for folks wanting to upgrade from a dated tile floor look (which we have a lot of in CA) to hardwood.
Great post and information on floated floors. In Arizona these are common replacements for real wood flooring in rental homes or instances that you mention, lowering cost installs. Great information! Love your website.
Great information. I live in a community with slab floor homes and this possibility to have wood floors is promising.
Great post, Debbie. So many people ask this question. Now I have the correct answer. Thank you!
Someday, when I update my flooring to hard wood (or a good wood laminate - which I'll call you about . . . someday) I want to do this. I have tile in my kitchen and an OPEN FLOOR PLAN to my family room into the kitchen. I have carpet in the family room and when I re-do the flooring I ALWAYS wondered about the tile. Do I sledge hammer it, do I leave it . . . now you've answered my concerns! I think the floating idea is great, make sense, and you are the Flooring Girl and I love ya!!
This is one of those cases where just because you can doesn't mean you should! Still, I understand that sometimes it is a viable alternative.
I can imagine that this question must get asked quite frequently. Now I have not just my own "gut" answer but the information from an expert as well.
This is great information, as I'm sure a lot of homeowners want to know what is possible to do with the budget they have, the goals they have and what type of advice contractors might be telling them.
Hmm... I suppose this means less dust and mess while the flooring is being installed. I know from experience that it gets very dusty when tile is removed.
Thanks for supplying such detailed information about installing wood floors-- especially over tile. My clients will certainly appreciate these tips!
Thank you. It is a good subject that I am sometimes asked and filing this blog will allow me to be able to give a better answer, or call you. Very informative.
I had no idea that there was any way that hardwood could "float" on top of tile. This is going to be a great thing to know as I have had several buyers wonder about this possibility.
I'm not sure I would want to take the risk of installing over tile. I would probably try to demolish the tile myself, then have the flooring put down.
Thanks for the useful lesson on the three types of engineered/hardwood flooring installations, and which one works on tile.
Debbie, another winner! (And to tell you the truth, by sharing this information, I become a 'hero' in the eyes of my client - though I do disclose about you and our community.)
Good morning, Debbie.... what a great post.... I would never have guessed this was an option.... I may do this in a heated sunroom that I have... I hate the tile...
Thank you for the great post. I will bookmark this and share it with others.
As always, great information about flooring issues we get questions about regularly. Thanks!
Sharon - Yes, the floor height can be a big issue, esp in a kitchen. but, this can sometimes work well on rooms w/ sunken floors (when you go down a step.
Harry - Yes, the tile must be in good condition. It's okay if it's ugly, but it must be secure.
Shar - yes, that's true. But, often in kitchens, it's better to rip up the tile and install solid hardwood since you can sand & refinish it.
Dinah - Thank you so much.
Andrew - Yes, I really prefer the solid wood and I have seen the pine underneath tile in some older homes.
Pat - Glad to hear this is timely for you.
Good information. I have seen some of the quality float floors completed and the quality ones look just a good as the traditional 3/4" hardwood floor.
Hi Debbie - I went to a rental building in White Plains yesterday - -brand new.. I wish they had known you to install their flooring.. it moved in several apartments... built for speed but not for endurance!
We used the 'float' method in our basement and it looks great. But I don't know if I would go that route in the family room we plan on doing next.
I think if you can avoid ripping up old flooring to put down new, it's a good thing. There are always those added expenses when demolishing. But like you said, you have to make sure your original flooring meets those requirements. Great post Debbie!
A very good article on wood flooring. Thanks for sharing on active rain. Great info to pass onto clients.
Debbie, what a timely post for me. I was just discussing this with a potential client and though I knew that you could install a floating wood floor over tile, I was not aware of the ins and outs of the process and the requiremnts or pitfalls. Thanks for the info,
There you go again, Debbie, keep us abrest of all the latest in hardwood flooring choices and installations -- thanks!
Thanks for the information Debbie. Your posts are so informative -- I have passed a few of them on to my clients who were looking for answers to particular questions.
number 3 for us and it worked like a charm with 12mm handscraped plakes covering WHITE TILE and yes the difference was amazing!