ᐅ Tiling over existing tiles?

Hello,

We are currently debating the flooring on the ground floor of our house (we are moving in at the end of May, the previous owners are still living there). The entire floor is covered with light brown, terracotta-like tiles (but more durable), which to me are typical of the 1980s.

This flooring isn’t exactly my dream, but I could accept it if we brighten up the space with modern furniture and light-colored walls since the tiles are extremely difficult to remove and appear to have been installed “for eternity.”

When we were at the house over the weekend to sort out a few remaining issues, I took a closer look at the floor. Several tiles (about 4–5) have cracks, and the door from the kitchen to the dining room rubs against the floor, causing damage to the tiles in that spot.

My questions:
1) We would really like to renew the floor. I’m wondering if it’s possible to install new, large, thin tiles (e.g., porcelain slabs or similar) directly over the existing tiles? The area is about 70 square meters (750 square feet) and includes the living and dining rooms, kitchen, hallway, and guest WC. We would need to plane the doors anyway...

2) I know prices vary widely, but approximately how much does it cost to install tiles in an area this size if we choose to tile over the old floor using tiles sized around 30x60 cm (12x24 inches) or 60x60 cm (24x24 inches)? Does anyone have experience with this? A rough estimate would help me better assess the quotes we receive.

I would appreciate any advice! As I said, we’re still in the early planning stages and will contact several contractors during our holiday after Easter to get quotes.

Thank you very much in advance,

Kate

So, if you ask me, break up the old tiles, sand down the surface, level the floor, and install new tiles. Everything else is just a mess. At least this way, you’ll have a flat floor.

Der Da schrieb:
If you ask me, it's best to remove the old tiles, sand down the surface, level the floor, and then install new tiles. Anything else is just a mess. That way, at least, you get a flat floor.

I completely agree. It's better to do the work properly than to cut corners.

@Kate32 How's it going? Did she have the tiles installed?

Kate32 schrieb:

1.) We would actually like to renew the floor now, and I wonder if it is possible to install new large and thin tiles (e.g., Flatile, etc.) directly over the old tiles?

That is not a good idea. You would need to sand down the bottom of the doors accordingly, and the connections to other rooms would no longer fit properly (step height). If you already have cracks in the floor, the screed underneath might also be damaged at those spots. It would be best to repair that at the same time.

This is not a botched job; it’s simply more cost-effective. You shouldn’t be afraid of it, but rather calculate how much money you want to spend on the bathroom. Regards, Marco

It’s not about the bathroom, but 70 square meters (750 square feet).