I am going to put 4" x 4" ceramic wall tile in my kitchen. Currently
there is 3/8" plywood underneath the current covering (I don't know
what you call it, but it is 1/4" glossy cover with fake 4" patterns so
that it looks like tile). I was thinking of removing the covering and
then possibly putting tile over the plywood. Alternatively, I could
put cement backerboard over the plywood. Should I go the backerboard
route, or, is it possible to tile over the plywood directly??

Thanks, Al Kondo

No, you can't tile to the plywood directly as wood is prone to warping.
Either backerboard or concrete board is fine, but I'd recommend backerboard
if it's for the wall, as it's lighter (it's also easier to cut).

BTW, is the plywood on the wall? Odd.
"Al Kondo" wrote in message
...
I am going to put 4" x 4" ceramic wall tile in my kitchen. Currently
there is 3/8" plywood underneath the current covering (I don't know
what you call it, but it is 1/4" glossy cover with fake 4" patterns so
that it looks like tile). I was thinking of removing the covering and
then possibly putting tile over the plywood. Alternatively, I could
put cement backerboard over the plywood. Should I go the backerboard
route, or, is it possible to tile over the plywood directly??

Thanks, Al Kondo

"JK" wrote in message
news:CROee.10976$fI.901@fed1read05...
No, you can't tile to the plywood directly as wood is prone to warping.
Either backerboard or concrete board is fine, but I'd recommend
backerboard if it's for the wall, as it's lighter (it's also easier to
cut).

BTW, is the plywood on the wall? Odd.
"Al Kondo" wrote in message
...
I am going to put 4" x 4" ceramic wall tile in my kitchen. Currently
there is 3/8" plywood underneath the current covering (I don't know
what you call it, but it is 1/4" glossy cover with fake 4" patterns so
that it looks like tile). I was thinking of removing the covering and
then possibly putting tile over the plywood. Alternatively, I could
put cement backerboard over the plywood. Should I go the backerboard
route, or, is it possible to tile over the plywood directly??

Thanks, Al Kondo

the above not withstanding, as long as it's dry, plywood doesn't warp,
especially if securely fastened to the studs.

the answer is yes, you can. use mastic instead of thinset.

"Al Kondo" wrote in message
...
I am going to put 4" x 4" ceramic wall tile in my kitchen. Currently
there is 3/8" plywood underneath the current covering (I don't know
what you call it, but it is 1/4" glossy cover with fake 4" patterns so
that it looks like tile). I was thinking of removing the covering and
then possibly putting tile over the plywood. Alternatively, I could
put cement backerboard over the plywood. Should I go the backerboard
route, or, is it possible to tile over the plywood directly??

Thanks, Al Kondo

That is not an approved installation method. BUT,

Using mastic instead of thinset in a dry wall area like a kitchen I doubt
you will ever have any problems. Just make sure the plywood is stable, dry
and well secured to the studs before you start. Keep your grout on the dry
side (which makes stronger grout anyhow) and you should be fine.

For sure if you add the 1/4" backerboard you will be fine. The backer board
does not care what the underlying layer is.

Colbyt

Charles Spitzer wrote:
the above not withstanding, as long as it's dry, plywood doesn't
warp,
especially if securely fastened to the studs.

the answer is yes, you can. use mastic instead of thinset.

But it does give. If you stand on a piece of securely attached plywood
and bounce up and down, it may move up and down with you. Over time,
this kind of motion can lead to cracks, if not in the mastic, then
certainly in the grout.

On the wall it probably doesn't matter, but I would (and did) use
backerboard on the floor over plywood. I wouldn't want to gamble with
mastic over plywood.

--
Jennifer

"Jennifer" wrote in message
ups.com...

Charles Spitzer wrote:
the above not withstanding, as long as it's dry, plywood doesn't
warp,
especially if securely fastened to the studs.

the answer is yes, you can. use mastic instead of thinset.

But it does give. If you stand on a piece of securely attached plywood
and bounce up and down, it may move up and down with you. Over time,
this kind of motion can lead to cracks, if not in the mastic, then
certainly in the grout.

On the wall it probably doesn't matter, but I would (and did) use
backerboard on the floor over plywood. I wouldn't want to gamble with
mastic over plywood.

--
Jennifer

then your substrate on the floor isn't stiff enough. there's a maximum
deflection allowable for tile. if you don't follow that, then it won't work.
plywood on the floor is ok as long as it's stiff enough.

the OP was talking about kitchen backsplashes. no one's going to be walking
there. i'd be really surprised if it 1/2" or 3/4" plywood ever flexed in
that situation. if it did, there's be a lot more problems than cracking
tiles/grout.

Interesting.... so then if I apply floor tile directly to the (plywood)
floor, the floor will warp?
Tile on plywood, on the wall, is fine.

Okay, a dumb question: Why the plywood in the first place? We tiled out
backsplash to the dry wall using mastic.
"Charles Spitzer" wrote in message
...

"Jennifer" wrote in message
ups.com...

Charles Spitzer wrote:
the above not withstanding, as long as it's dry, plywood doesn't
warp,
especially if securely fastened to the studs.

the answer is yes, you can. use mastic instead of thinset.

But it does give. If you stand on a piece of securely attached plywood
and bounce up and down, it may move up and down with you. Over time,
this kind of motion can lead to cracks, if not in the mastic, then
certainly in the grout.

On the wall it probably doesn't matter, but I would (and did) use
backerboard on the floor over plywood. I wouldn't want to gamble with
mastic over plywood.

--
Jennifer

then your substrate on the floor isn't stiff enough. there's a maximum
deflection allowable for tile. if you don't follow that, then it won't
work. plywood on the floor is ok as long as it's stiff enough.

the OP was talking about kitchen backsplashes. no one's going to be
walking there. i'd be really surprised if it 1/2" or 3/4" plywood ever
flexed in that situation. if it did, there's be a lot more problems than
cracking tiles/grout.

On Fri, 06 May 2005 18:25:21 GMT, (Al Kondo) wrote:

I am going to put 4" x 4" ceramic wall tile in my kitchen. Currently
there is 3/8" plywood underneath the current covering (I don't know
what you call it, but it is 1/4" glossy cover with fake 4" patterns so
that it looks like tile). I was thinking of removing the covering and
then possibly putting tile over the plywood. Alternatively, I could
put cement backerboard over the plywood. Should I go the backerboard
route, or, is it possible to tile over the plywood directly??

The quick and dirty way would be to scuff up the fake tile board and
use mastic to glue the new tile down directly on top of it.

Next in line is to glue to the plywood using mastic, assuming it's
sound and flat.

Best is to use the 1/4" backerboard and use thinset motar.

Thanks, Al Kondo

David

irrelevent information snipped.

randy

On the wall it probably doesn't matter

Al Kondo wrote:
I am going to put 4" x 4" ceramic wall tile in my kitchen. Currently
there is 3/8" plywood underneath the current covering (I don't know
what you call it, but it is 1/4" glossy cover with fake 4" patterns so
that it looks like tile). I was thinking of removing the covering and
then possibly putting tile over the plywood. Alternatively, I could
put cement backerboard over the plywood. Should I go the backerboard
route, or, is it possible to tile over the plywood directly??

Thanks, Al Kondo

On a back splash, yes. And you'd probably never experience any problems
but I would recommend 1/4" backer over the 3/8" ply would be better.

The plywood wont warp if you screw it down every stud

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Not odd if it's a shear wall and is very common.

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Plywood only "gives" if you apply an excessive load 2 layers of 5/8" plywood over joists on 16 inch centers is more than adequate for a tiled floor using thinset, particularly if using Ditra. A backsplash takes NO load, so it will NOT flex so doesn't really need a decoupler like Ditra but I WOULD be tempted to use Scluter KERDI on whatever substrate I was tiling.

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