When installing new stone ceramic or porcelain tiles over a vinyl tile subfloor thinset is definitely the way to go.
Ceramic tiles over linoleum.
How old is the linoleum.
Most hard tiles such as stone ceramic and porcelain will need a new underlayment put down over the old linoleum first.
Installing linoleum over tile is a quick and easy way to renovate your bathroom or kitchen.
So where feasible it makes sense to install the new flooring directly over the old without removing the old flooring.
Before you start laying tiles over an old linoleum floor there are a few things that you need to know.
Well the short answer is yes you can tile over linoleum flooring.
Portions of the linoleum floor can come up at any time.
Installing ceramic tile over vinyl or linoleum surfaces can be more complicated than expected and probably should be avoided whenever possible.
Sheet linoleum floors and tiles that were made before 1990 often contain asbestos which is a known cancer causing agent.
Can i apply the thinset mortar over the black adhesive or will this cause problems.
Make a tighter floor so that your tiles will lay flat by fastening with 1 rust proof screws or nails roughly every six inches on the linoleum flooring.
This isn t possible with every flooring material but it s often possible to install ceramic porcelain or stone tile over resilient flooring including standard sheet vinyl vinyl tile or linoleum.
Provided the existing tile is not lumpy or broken and is cleaned this is a fairly simple process.
When you re ready to install tile over linoleum a thin layer of mortar should be spread over the floor s surface with a flat edged trowel.
After the thin layer has dried which should take about 30 minutes use a notched trowel to add a second layer over the first layer taking care to create even ridges over the surface.
This will also increase the height of the finished floor by as much as 1.
Often when linoleum is installed only the edges and center are spot glued.
More tips for tiling over linoleum.
Next if the tile s joints are deep you ll want regrout them to bring them flush with the tile so that the lines won t telegraph show through the vinyl floor.
Installing over existing vinyl.
Which left a black adhesive material.
However if you can t remove the old surface or otherwise decide to install over it lay a backer board with thin set over the old surface to serve as your new subfloor material.
Once the tile is leveled off your next step is to remove the toilet so that the floor can be laid under it not cut around it.