Tiling Over Vinyl

Can I tile over vinyl?

Most manufacturers’ of tile cement (thinset) have developed a specialty thinset for setting tile that bonds well to sheet vinyl. However, as with all tile installations, the entire subfloor below the tile is important – not only the layer to which the tile is bonded.

To tile over sheet vinyl, the following is generally recommended by most mortar manufacturers:

• The sheet vinyl must be clean and free of wax or other bond breakers.
• The sheet vinyl must be single layer only and well attached.
• It should not be perimeter glued (it often is!) and it should not have a cushion or foam back.
• The subfloor below the sheet vinyl must deflect less than the industry standard L/360 deflection criteria.

In all cases, we do not recommend straying from manufacturer’s recommendations. You must check with the mortar manufacturer for their specific installation and product advice.