We are tearing out an old kitchen floor laid by the 1976 DIY builder that's cracked & damaged. We have searched for months for porcelain or even ceramic tile that we like, but we keep coming back to terra cotta for this space, a limestone house in a rustic natural setting. This country kitchen also functions as a mudroom and opens to the back patio, so this floor choice makes sense IMO.

Proper finished terra cotta floor tiles can be pricey and tend to be darker than the raw, lighter color we prefer. That brings us to terra cotta / clay pavers from a reputable company in Texas. We know we will need to seal these with a product specifically recommended for not changing the color or sheen/finish, but the very low price makes the work worth it for 350 sq ft.

The current old tile was glued directly to the top layer of plywood subfloor, hence it being so cracked. The glue is a toxic mess we have no desire to burn through papers trying to sand through, so we're pulling that top plywood layer to be replaced.

As we are reconfiguring the subfloor, the thicker pavers (3/4" as opposed to the 3/8" old tile) call for some strategy to meet the adjoining hardwood floor hallway (which currently tapers down about a half inch) and also the bottom of our kitchen walls which are painted brick and would look off with heightened flooring visually "shortening" the bottom brick (which sets about half an inch from the floor). Thus we have HALF AN INCH to spare in increasing floor height but have a plan to pull it off.

The priority of course is structural integrity. The floor is 2x12" joists on 2' center. The 6 x 12" pavers weigh 2 lb each, so 4 lb per sq ft. Here's our plan. Appreciate any thoughts on whether this suffices. The pavers company said "should be OK" and we'd like better validation!

CURRENT FLOOR

Layer 1 -- 3/4" plywood on joists

Layer 2 -- 3/4" plywood floating / not glued

Layer 3 -- 3/8" tile glued

===== Without accounting for the glue, which looks negligible (maybe 1/16" in most spots?) that totals 1 7/8"

NEW PLAN

Layer 1 -- Original 3/4" plywood on joists

Layer 2 -- New 3/8" plywood

Layer 3 -- 1/4" hardy board

Layer 4 -- 3/4" pavers

==== This totals 2 1/8, for a net increase of 1/4". If the thinset adds another 3/16" or 1/4" we're right at the mark.

Does this seem reasonable, especially for carrying a weight of 4 lb/ sq ft? When I research the weight of traditional floor tile it's all over the place.

Thank you!

***Update re: a recent comment about "are you going to put your face on the floor": For the record for anyone consulting this thread, most "dupe" ceramic/porcelain tiles intended to look like terra cotta, stone or another material are indeed printed. There are pixels visible even on mid-price range tiles in that category. I'm signing off now due to the unfortunate tone in some replies. Thanks to those who offered earnest feedback without unnecessary rudeness.