If you add backerboard + tile on top of it, you are going to add somewhere in the range of 5/8″ to 3/4″ of height. That is enough to be a tripping hazard, and it also wouldn’t look very nice. Pulling up the plywood and the putting down the backer board is the right thing to do.

Can you put tile straight on plywood?

Tile can be laid on plywood. But do not install tile directly on the plywood subfloor itself. Use an intervening layer of a sheet of thinner plywood.

Do you need to prep plywood before tiling?





Do I need to prime plywood before tiling? Some helpful tips: In general, if the subfloor for tiling is made up of plywood, you don’t have to use a primer. Instead, the plywood preparation is done so that it is made water-resistant and more adhesive suitable without using a primer.

How do you remove a nailed down plywood subfloor?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: And it makes it very easy with your hammer to get underneath these these nails and just pull them up as you go along they'll break at the where the wood is nailed. You just have to pull up each nail.

How do you prepare a plywood floor for tile?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Work quickly while the thinset is wet and set the sheet of backer board in place arrange panels so that the ends are staggered. Walk gently on the panels to set them into the thinset.

What do you put on plywood before tiling?

On a plywood subfloor, you need either a layer of cement backer board or an underlayment membrane, like Custom Building Products’ Wonderboard and RedGard, between the subfloor and tile for the thin-set adhesive to achieve a good bond.

Is uncoupling membrane necessary over plywood?





Although some substrates absolutely require uncoupling membranes, they can be installed on a range of surfaces, including cement mortar, backerboard, OSB, and plywood. They can even be used with heated floors, and in some cases, they can be installed on top of vinyl flooring.

Can you put mortar on plywood?

Tip. Plywood and the flooring to which it is attached must be at least 1 1/8 inch thick to support the weight of thinset and tiles. Only exterior-approved plywood will support the weight; interior plywood and particleboard do not have the same strength and will buckle under the tiles.

Can you tile on top of wood?

Can you tile on wood floorboards? Good news, yes you can! Tiling over floorboards is possible with the use of plywood or backer boards. In short, a layer of ‘board’ over your floorboards will keep the surface you’re tiling strong and sturdy, and help you minimise any movement from your old floorboards.

How do you prepare a floor before laying tile?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Apply a thin layer of mortar to the substrate with the flat side to produce solid. Contact with the surface. And then comb the mortar using the nock side rule.

What do you put on subfloor before tile?



Install a cement backer board to set a good base for your tile and prevent any movement-related cracking of tile or grout. Backer board is screwed down to wood subfloor using specific backer board screws and mortared down with tile adhesive mortar plywood subfloor.

How thick should plywood be under tile?

Plywood must be installed over an adequate subfloor and must be at least 1 1/8″ thick when combined with the subfloor. Interior-grade plywood and particleboard are not considered strong enough for a tile installation.

How thick should plywood be for tile?

Use at least 1/2 in. underlayment-grade plywood, but I’d recommend 5/8 in. or ¾ in. plywood in your case as the stiffness of the framing is in question. Also you need to stiffen the plywood over the 24 in.

What is the proper subfloor for tile?



Exterior-Grade Plywood



Exterior plywood is an acceptable underlayment for tile and is preferred to interior-grade plywoods because the bonding adhesives used are waterproof. If water seeps through the tile installation to the underlayment, it will not cause the wood to swell, as happens with interior-grade plywood.

How do you install porcelain tile over plywood?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Use a polymer modified thinset to attach the backer board to the subfloor. And to fill in any potential gaps that might exist between the backer board and the subfloor.