Tiling on Cement Subfloor or Wood Subfloor?

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

I live in San Francisco and we are not near any water tables that I know of. We are remodeling our Garage to add rooms which currently has a cement slab that is not level. Initially we signed a contractor and the Contractor wanted to do a Wood Sub Floor that we can tile over. Now he wants to pour a concrete and level it out and put a tile over that. He assured me that there would be no moisture because he would put a vapor barrier and then cement over the vapor barrier. Also he said that putting tile over the wood sub floor that the grout may crack within a year since the wood is still settleing. Is this all true?

Which option would you guys go with? We would be using tile planks.

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Comments (5)

PRO
Kingston Flooring LLC
9 years ago
Install your tile over the concrete, don't use a wood subfloor. The flexibility of a wood subfloor allows to much movement which will crack your grout and tiles. Concrete is a much better subfloor for tile.

Depending on how out of level your floor is, you can probably use a self leveling concrete compound that will take care of the out of level situation.

Does the floor have moisture problems at the moment?
gqchynaboy
Original Author
9 years ago
No the floor doesn't have any moisture issues and I'm sure he will use self leveling concrete. Just wanted to confirm that concrete is a better base for long plank tiles.

Thanks for your input!
jellytoast
9 years ago
" ... he would put a vapor barrier and then cement over the vapor barrier."

Is that the proper application to put the moisture barrier between the slab and the leveling compound?
PRO
Kingston Flooring LLC
9 years ago
No vapor barrier should be between the leveling compound and the concrete slab. That would compromise the leveling compound.
southerncanuck
9 years ago
Everything Kingston said X2. If a moisture barrier is laid between the self leveler there is a good actually very good chance that the top coat will lift as it does not have anything to give a good set for the new floor leveler or a layer of new concrete. Tile on concrete always if available. It has the best deflection rate of any material for tile setting.