Tiling onto a timber substrate can be very problematic at the best of times. Ceramic Stiles of Cornwall provide information and advice on the best way to tile over timber flooring.

Wood floor systems with a bounce are fine if you decide to carpet. However wood is a long way from being the best substrate for ceramic tiling, the reason is simple. Ceramic flooring materials such as tiles are rigid. As such, they require a rigid base to stay in one piece.

A wooden floor however will move as it is walked on, it will also shrink or expand dependent on the temperature and moisture levels. The amount the wood moves, bows, bends, stretches or shrinks depends on all of the above, for example the amount of foot traffic there is etc.

Inevitably after time, a tiled timber floor, where the tile isn't fully supported, will crack and the grout will crumble, floor tiles may even detach.

Wood floor systems can meet the necessary rigidity requirements. However, certain guidelines must be followed. There are a couple of ways that sufficient rigidity can be achieved. These are as follows:

Removing existing boards and stiffen the floor with noggings and joist support sleeper walls before overboarding with new plywood.

The flooring material installed on top of the floor joists is also important. If you are using plywood, this material can also flex.

Thicker plywood is almost always more rigid than thinner plywood. The number of plys or layers in the sheet is also important. Many people do not realise that plywood of the same thickness can have a different number of plys. More plys is almost always stronger.

Another option is to use a tile backer or construction board. This should be on top of the original boarding, apply a 10mm minimum backer board, which will help limit the movement of floors and the expansion and both contraction and moisture absorption.

Using undertile heating may seem to be an added complication, but it can be overcome by following the correct method of installation.


Under tile heating can also be added when tiling the wooden floor, you may see it as an added complication but it can be overcome by following the correct method of installation.

For more information about the tiles and tiling services available from Ceramic Stiles, please contact us on 01326 563515 or visit our website at www.ceramicstiles.co.uk