Description #
Tiling over existing tiles is a very common practice - especially in renovation settings. Learn abut how to prepare the surface for new tiles, to ensure a perfect finish that stands the test of time.
Transcript #
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[Music]
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Hello and welcome back to Prep Set Go. Thanks once again for joining us it's great to have you here.
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In this video we'll be looking at tiling over existing tiles and covering the preparation and
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general considerations that go with it - so let's get started. Tiling over existing tiles is very
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common practice, particularly in the renovation space. It's a practical solution when you want to
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maintain the function of a space while giving the area an update or a refresh. The practice can save
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both time and money, eliminating the need to rip up the old tiles which can be both labour and time
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intensive. It's far less invasive and noisy and doesn't create dust and the added inconvenience
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of extra waste that needs to be disposed. Now, although this is far more convenient than the
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alternative, there's still a number of things to consider when determining if it's even feasible.
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So let's explore some of these. What would the impact be on floor heights? An obvious impact of
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tiling directly over existing tiles is the raising of floor heights on horizontal surfaces. Will this
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become a trip hazard - particularly at doorways. Will transition strips be needed or even practical
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to bridge and ramp the transition. Do doors and architraves need to be shaved down? Does
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skirting need to be raised and retrofitted? Is there sufficient set down in wet areas and
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showers to accommodate the elevated finish? Will the substrate be capable of accepting the weight
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of a whole new tile layer? This is particularly important for vertical applications on lightweight
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wall sheeting, and timber floors where the added weight will increase stresses on the structure
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that may lead to increased flexing, deflection, and movement. So after these initial conditions,
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you've determined that it is feasible. Let's move on to the practical steps of preparing
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the existing tiles. First off, tiles need to be sound, stable, and well bonded, as
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we've spoken about in previous videos on surface preparation - finishes are only as good as the
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surface they're bonded to. The existing tiled surface must be well bonded to the substrate,
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and not loose or drummy - and drummyness is that hollow sound when you tap a surface, indicating
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that there's separation of the tile or adhesive from the substrate. So a thorough inspection of
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the entire surface should be conducted and any loose, cracked or drummy tiles should be removed
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and patched with a suitable repair or levelling compound, and you can refer to the extensive
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range of RLA surface preparation products for details. Extensive cracking and delamination of
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tiles could indicate a defect in the substrate, or an underlying issue and may require complete
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removal of the tiles and inspection and repairs of the underlying substrate. So we've done our
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inspection and made some repairs, now we need to ensure the surface is thoroughly
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clean to enable a good bond to the surface - and again please refer to previous episodes
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on the importance of good surface preparation. Tiled surfaces should be free of all dirt, dust,
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grease, soap, detergent, chemical residues, and any other surface contaminants that could
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affect the adhesion of our new tile layer. The type of cleaning will be based on the process
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we'll be using to bond the new tiles, so this can either be directly with suitable tile adhesives,
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or through the use of special primers such as the RLA Universal Primer which is designed to allow
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finishes to bond to smooth or non-porous surfaces like ceramics, metals, and plastics. Tiling
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directly to the existing tiles will often require the removal of the tile glaze, and roughening of
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the surface to promote good adhesion - and please remember when roughening the tiles don't forget
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to use appropriate protective gear. Including mask, safety glasses, and hearing protection.
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Mechanical grinding and washing down or vacuuming of the surface will remove the bulk of surface
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contaminants, when using special primers where removing the glaze is not as critical,
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cleaning solutions, detergents, or degreases, can be considered - paying particular attention
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to grout lines where contaminants can accumulate. And now for adhering the tiles. First and foremost
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always use a high quality tile adhesive. You've done the hard work in the preparation,
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so you'll want to ensure a decent adhesive is used to ensure a quality job. We recommend
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using a C2 class adhesive which is classified as having improved adhesion and RLA have a number of
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suitable adhesives in their range to consider. And remember to always refer to the product
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data sheet for suitability for use over these surfaces, or if unsure call us directly where
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one of our friendly staff will be more than happy to help. Thanks for joining us in today's episode,
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if you have any questions or comments please feel free to leave them down below, or send
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us a message via our social media channels. We look forward to seeing you next time. [Music]