Does ceramic tile require special floor construction?
Standard floor construction of 2″ x 10″ floor joists spaced 16″ on center with 5/8″ plywood subfloor and 3/8″ plywood underlayment is suitable. However, more than 20 years’ experience shows that a rigid, cementitious backer board is superior to plywood as an underlayment. A clean, structurally sound concrete slab is suitable and does not require additional underlayment.
A. Standard floor construction of 2″ x 10″ floor joists spaced 16″ on center with 5/8″ plywood sub-floor and 3/8″ plywood under-layment is suitable. However, more than 20 years’ experience shows that a rigid, cement backer board is superior to plywood as an under-layment. A clean, structurally sound concrete slab is suitable and does not require additional under-layment. Q. Should ceramic tile be waxed? A. Do not wax glazed ceramic tile. Your tile is more durable than wax and will become more beautiful with regular minimal maintenance. A small amount of neutral detergent in warm water plus a clean rinse are suggested. Q. Should sealer be used on ceramic tile? A. On a glazed tile, sealer is unnecessary and should never be used. Some manufacturers of unglazed, natural clay tile, pavers or unglazed porcelain tile recommend a particular sealer. However, in most cases, a good penetrating sealer is advisable. It is usually invisible or provides a soft luster. Heavy sealers such as urethane a
