Questions about Tiling over Linoleum

[firegirlfergie]

Hello, I reside in USA in Maryland northeast of Baltimore and am new to the site. Back in high school and college, I dated a fella who owned a tile business and was occasionally his assistant. I purchased ~252 sq. ft. of 12 x 12 ceramic tile for my kitchen and have some questions about installation. My house is 14 years old and I assume there is some sort of subfloor already in place (there are some squeaky spots that I'll screw down into the joists), I will confirm the existence of the subfloor under the dishwasher. Currently, the flooring is peel-and-stick 12 x 12 linoleum tiles. I have enquired several DIY shops (Lowe's, Home Depot, etc.) as to how best to prepare the floor. I honestly would rather not have to remove 200 square feet of peel-and-stick linoleum unless absolutely necessary, however, I demand only the highest quality of workmanship from myself. Most places suggest roughing up the surface with sandpaper, but I'm curious if this is sufficient (also, I do believe that I need to lift part of the subfloor to ensure I avoid damaging plumbing when trying to screw into the joists to eliminate the squeaking). A fellow firefighter at work suggested an orange substrate and the way he described it sounded fantastic! None of the DIY places carry it and most hadn't heard of it. I found Schluter Systems online and will try to locate a local dealer.

If I am successful in finding it, my long, drawn-out questions are: 1. Is it easy to use for your basic homeowner? 2. Can I use it over the vinyl squares? 3. Has anyone had success/problems using it or is there a better substrate out there? 4. If I must remove the existing flooring, any suggestions on the most efficient method?

I tend to analyze the hell out of projects (mostly prep work) simply because I'm a perfectionist. Furthermore, my husband is not very handy around the house (more of an electronics nut), so I generally try to do projects start-to-finish over a few days while he's away on business, etc.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

[davy_G]

I think the orange 'substrate you mention is 'Ditra'. This is a decoupling mat that frees the covering from the substrate. Predominantly for use on green screeds but has many other applications.
You mention you want the best finish as you are a perfectionist, laying tiles onto lino tiles with possible movement beneath is not a good start.
I would be inclined to lift all the old lino tiles, painstaking but you would see and be able to repair the substrate properly. Then if the floor had no movement and was perfectly flat prime an tile. If some residual lino adhesive remains then lay a self levelling compound before tiling.
If the movement is still an issue or the floor is uneven then sheet a wooden floor with exterior grade ply, at least 12mm and screw down at 200mm centres. Prime then tile.

A large floor may require an expansion strip or joint, see the schluter website for some very good 'invisible' ones to look like grout lines.

Good luck

[sWe]

If I were to do it, I'd want to reinforce the floor with cement-fibre boards before putting anything else on it. If the floor is squeaky, it might not be stiff enough for ceramic tiles, even if you put more screws into it. Haven't tried Schluter Ditra myself, but the principle is sound. If you want a floating/decoupled floor, it's probably the simplest alternative. Other methods include either using thick layers of mortar and sand, or plastics sheets and leveling compound.

EDIT: By the way, I'd remove the linoleum as well. Not only isn't it a good supstrate for anything, if it's been there long enough, mold growth isn't unusual. This is especially true under dishwashers and refridgerators.

[Jim Carlin]

Hi Firegirlfergie,
It’s always a good idea to analyze the project before you start. So with that said let me give you some of my thoughts. Do you know what the substrate is that is directly under the self stick tiles? Start with the composition or makeup of the structure and then decide how much has to be removed because it will not be compatible with ceramic tile. Even if the substrate is considered to be ok for ceramic tiles, I would absolutely remove the self stick tiles. These are only as good as the bond that holds them in place. If you are going to spend the money to install ceramic tiles and are a perfectionist, then do it correctly the first time. Schluter Ditra is a perfect uncoupling membrane for the installation. Be sure and follow the manufacturers written instructions to the letter regarding the installation. As a side note, I have been using their products exclusively since 1998 and that’s without a failure or problem related to them.
Jim