My husband and I are considering buying a house that has the same 12x12
textured ceramic tile throughout the entire house. This tile isn't
terrible, but it's a dark orangey brown that's kind of overwhelming in
such mass quantities.

We're kicking around the idea of installing floating bamboo "hardwood"
floors over the tile in a few rooms. It just seems like a waste to
tear all the tile out if we don't really need to; maybe the next owners
will want to take it back down to the tile, who knows?

Googling has produced contradictory results. Some sources say it would
be fine as long as the tile is flat enough (and what is flat enough?)
The floors look level, but the tiles are textured around the edges...
they look like they're supposed to have been chipped out of stone by
hand, or something.

If the tiles are more uneven than would be optimal, would a double
layer of foam underlayment help prevent problems?

Comments and suggestions welcome.

--
Jennifer

I would bite the bullet and remove the old tile. dont expect the foam
to do much of anything but isolate the 2 surfaces, the rough edges in
tile will wear out the foam fast, and cause troubles. with the bamboo
not free to move as a unit it could buckle

Start the demo process. Do you like speedbumps??? If you just
put something on top of another floor you will be raising the floor
most
likely about an inch.

To make things right, take out the old floor and do it right.

"Jennifer" wrote in message
oups.com...
My husband and I are considering buying a house that has the same 12x12
textured ceramic tile throughout the entire house. This tile isn't
terrible, but it's a dark orangey brown that's kind of overwhelming in
such mass quantities.

We're kicking around the idea of installing floating bamboo "hardwood"
floors over the tile in a few rooms. It just seems like a waste to
tear all the tile out if we don't really need to; maybe the next owners
will want to take it back down to the tile, who knows?

Googling has produced contradictory results. Some sources say it would
be fine as long as the tile is flat enough (and what is flat enough?)
The floors look level, but the tiles are textured around the edges...
they look like they're supposed to have been chipped out of stone by
hand, or something.

If the tiles are more uneven than would be optimal, would a double
layer of foam underlayment help prevent problems?

Comments and suggestions welcome.

--
Jennifer


I agree that going over the tile will be a bad idea. Transitions will be a
pain as well as you will have some spring in the floor. (I assume here we
are talking about a floating floor). If your tile is installed on concrete
it will be a real pain to get up and leave a flat surface to put the bamboo
on.

Have you considered area rugs?

No wrote:
"Jennifer" wrote in message
oups.com...
snip
We're kicking around the idea of installing floating bamboo "hardwood"
floors over the tile in a few rooms. It just seems like a waste to
tear all the tile out if we don't really need to; maybe the next owners
will want to take it back down to the tile, who knows?

Googling has produced contradictory results. Some sources say it would
be fine as long as the tile is flat enough (and what is flat enough?)
The floors look level, but the tiles are textured around the edges...
they look like they're supposed to have been chipped out of stone by
hand, or something.
snip

I agree that going over the tile will be a bad idea. Transitions will be a
pain as well as you will have some spring in the floor. (I assume here we
are talking about a floating floor). If your tile is installed on concrete
it will be a real pain to get up and leave a flat surface to put the bamboo
on.

Have you considered area rugs?

I have... I'd be fine with area rugs, actually, but my husband really
wants hardwoods.

We wouldn't actually have to worry about transitions; the house has a
funny layout; it's a tri-level, and we'd want the hardwood throughout
the whole middle level.

I'm actually not trying to be lazy about it, I just know that the
previous owner put a lot of money and effort into this tile; it's
pretty unique and rather cool, and I have yet to stay in a house for
more than 5 years, so I am always thinking of the next owner, who might
hate bamboo and adore the funky tile

Ah well, it was just a thought. Thank you all for your advice.

--
Jennifer