Extending tile floor

[Steve in Denver]

I have a tiled area that I would like to extend about 10 inches. I don't completely understand why I want to extend it, but I am assured that it is necessary.

Tile appears to be natural stone (slate) - a thin layer of stone adhered to a ceramic substrate. 1/4" cbu over framed floor. I am aware of l/720 requirement for natural stone....joist system is nominally l/480 (I think) but installed configuration is less than maximum span. If I calculated correctly deflection is appx l/600. I know this is less than l/720.

I am contemplating extending the floor by "surgically" removing tile along the edge, installing cbu to match the existing, tying the old and new together with fiberglass tape, and installing new tile. Note that most newly installed tile will span between original and new CBU...


Is this likely.to.work? Will removing tile/thinset from the existing cbu be a pain? Any suggestions? Better options?

Thanks

Steve

[koihito]

Why not do a 10" border? You can pretend it was an intentional design choice

[Kman]

Originally Posted by Steve

a thin layer of stone adhered to a ceramic substrate.

I'm not sure what you mean by "ceramic substrate". Are you referring to the tile backer?

I wouldn't bother removing any tile. Set the tile backer on the floor in as few pieces as possible with mesh tape on any joints that are necessary, then use a color-matched caulk in place of grout where the new tile meets the old.

You'd probably do more damage than you want by trying to tear out any existing tile.

[Steve in Denver]

I'm not sure what you mean by "ceramic substrate". Are you referring to the tile backer?

I'm not sure what you mean by tile backer.

What I mean is that the top surface of the tile appears to be slate. If you take a tile out of the box and look at the bottom, it looks like a ceramic tile (well, I didn't study it closely, but it's clearly some sort of man made substrate...the slate itself is very thin - 1/8" or so?)

One issue with just putting more tile next to what is there is that the tile is laid diagonally...so I think it would look pretty odd if I added 10 more inches with a soft joint in between.

I might try to remove some tiles...if I can successfully tie in to the existing installation, I'll just have to re-do the whole floor...Sounds like a good way to justify a new tile saw to me!

-Steve

[Tiger Mountain Tile Inc]

Originally Posted by Steve

I am contemplating extending the floor by "surgically" removing tile along the edge, installing cbu to match the existing, tying the old and new together with fiberglass tape, and installing new tile. Note that most newly installed tile will span between original and new CBU...

This sounds like a good plan to me. Not as good as leaving it the way it is but still a sound way to do the repair.

[Steve in Denver]

I am having hardwood installed adjacent to the tile in the picture...we prefer not to have a T molding or other transition that covers the wood/tile.

Wood and tile height are very close to even, so no height change. Mainly I want to know what to do for a gap between the two. (The wood runs perpendicular to the tile edge, so very little expansion of the wood that would encroach on the tile.). There will be a wood header running parallel to the tile edge.

Space it and fill with sanded caulk? How big of a gap? Something else?

[Kman]

What's the thickness of the wood? The manufacturer should have a recommended space for expansion, and that's what you're supposed to use.

Typically 1/4" would be the minimum, and fill it with caulk to match the grout.

[Tiger Mountain Tile Inc]

Assuming it's nailed down hardwood and not floating a nice little 1/8 inch gap filled with backer rod and color matched silicone should last a long time.

[Steve in Denver]

Thanks, guys. That makes sense to me.

Steve