Tearing out a tile floor means breaking up every tile and scraping the thinset underneath, which is loud, dusty work. So if you are planning a new vinyl plank for a Columbus kitchen or bathroom, it is fair to ask whether it can simply go on top of what is already there. Before you book flooring installation services, it helps to know what the manufacturer actually allows.
Often it can. Rigid luxury vinyl plank is a floor that manufacturers such as Mohawk approve for installation over existing ceramic tile. Whether your particular tile floor qualifies comes down to a few measurable things: how flat it is, how deep the grout lines are, what else is already stacked under it, and how much height your doorways and appliances can spare.
What the manufacturer instructions actually allow
The installation instructions for the specific product you buy decide a lot here. Mohawk’s SolidTech Uniclic installation instructions, for example, state that the product “must be installed in accordance with installation instructions outlined in this document so as not to void the applicable warranties.”
According to those instructions, the planks can go over most existing floor coverings, including ceramic tile that is well bonded with a skim coat, VCT, terrazzo, glued laminate and glued hardwood, provided those floors sit over a wooden subfloor. They cannot go over carpet (including needle felt), floating laminate, other floating floor systems, luan or cushioned vinyl. Anything soft or loose underneath has to come out first.
Grout lines are the real question
Dips and ridges in the floor below can show through the surface of new vinyl plank, which Mohawk’s instructions call telegraphing. On a tile floor, the grout joints are the obvious place for that to happen.
Mohawk’s two SolidTech guides handle this differently. The SolidTech Uniclic guide only accepts ceramic tile that is well bonded and skim coated, so for that product, plan on a skim coat even when the grout lines are tight. The SolidTech floating floor instructions only call for joints more than 1/8 inch deep and 1/4 inch wide to be leveled with a primer and leveling compound. Other brands set their own rules, so check the instructions for the exact product you choose.
How flat is flat enough?
Beyond grout, the whole floor has to be flat across a distance. The Uniclic guide says any unevenness of more than 3/16 inch over a 10-foot span, or 1/8 inch over a 6-foot span, must be leveled. High spots get sanded down and low spots get filled with leveling compound.
A tile floor with a hump or a low spot will need that work first. If the base you are covering is old vinyl or VCT rather than tile, the same guide adds its own conditions: it must be “single layered, non-cushion backed, fully adhered and smooth,” and “cuts, cracks, gouges, dents and other irregularities in the existing floor covering must be repaired or replaced.”
The guide is also direct about who makes the final call: “The responsibility of determining if the existing flooring is suitable to be installed over rests solely with the installer/flooring contractor on site. If there is any doubt as to suitability, the existing flooring should be removed or an acceptable underlayment installed over it.”
Check the height before you commit
Covering tile adds the thickness of the new plank on top of the old floor. Before you commit, measure the places where that extra height could matter:
- The gap under interior doors
- Transitions into carpeted rooms and hallways
- The clearance for dishwashers and ranges under the countertop
- The toilet, which sits directly on the finished floor
None of these rules out installing over tile. They are reasons to measure before you buy, especially in kitchens and bathrooms.
When tearing out the tile is the better call
Removal makes more sense when the tile is not well bonded, when the old floor does not meet the manufacturer’s conditions, or when the added height would cause problems at doors, stairs or appliances.
If the job means pulling up old vinyl, backing or adhesive, slow down. Mohawk’s instructions warn against mechanically chipping or pulverizing old resilient flooring, backing or adhesives, because they “may contain asbestos fibers and/or crystalline silica,” and say that unless you are sure the material is asbestos-free, “you must presume it contains asbestos.” The same warning notes that regulations may require the material to be tested before it is removed.
Before the planks go down
Whether the tile stays or goes, a few steps come before installation day. Mohawk’s Uniclic guide says the planks must acclimate in the room where they will be installed, between 55 and 85°F, for 48 hours beforehand. The floor has to be clean, dry and free of wax and grease. Floor molding comes off, and a 3/8-inch expansion gap is left around the perimeter so the floor can move with temperature changes. Baseboards can stay if a quarter round is added to cover that gap.
Getting it done in Columbus
FedCo Floors installs luxury vinyl tile, laminate, VCT, sheet vinyl and carpet, and keeps many carpet and hard surface products in stock at its Columbus warehouse. When the old floor needs to go, the crew can handle removal of tile and stone, subfloor repair, baseboard installation, haul-away, and removing and resetting fixed appliances and toilets. Many of FedCo’s lead installers have been with the company full time for years, and the installation work is backed by a warranty.
Not sure whether your tile can stay? Book a floor assessment with FedCo or call 614-273-0988. An installer can check flatness, grout depth and door clearances before you pick a product.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put vinyl plank flooring over ceramic tile?
Some rigid vinyl plank products allow it, but the conditions vary. Mohawk’s SolidTech Uniclic guide, for example, only accepts ceramic tile that is well bonded, skim coated and installed over a wooden subfloor. Check the instructions for the exact product you are buying.
Do you have to fill grout lines before installing vinyl plank?
It depends on the product. Mohawk’s SolidTech Uniclic guide requires tile to be skim coated, which covers the grout lines entirely. Its SolidTech floating floor instructions call for leveling joints more than 1/8 inch deep and 1/4 inch wide. Either way, the goal is to keep grout lines from showing through the new floor.
Can vinyl plank go over carpet?
No. Manufacturer instructions such as Mohawk’s exclude carpet, needle felt and other soft or floating floors. They have to be removed first.
How long should vinyl plank acclimate before installation?
Mohawk’s SolidTech guide calls for 48 hours in the room of installation at 55 to 85°F. Other brands may differ, so follow the instructions for your product.
