Can You Tile Over Tiles?
I am having a bathroom fitted out. The builders stripped the old tiles off the wall and put new tiles on the wall but the finish was very poor on two walls and they have agreed to re-do them but they have started tiling over the old tiles. Is this ok?
They are quite heavy, large porcelain tiles. The builders are insistent that it is perfectly fine to tile over tiles, especially as they are tiling over new tiles and because the two walls they are re-doing do not have any door or window frames but I have told them to stop work until I take some advice.
Can any tilers please help me with some of advice? Thanks!
32 Answers
Phone The Carpenter
2 Reviews, 100% Positive
Tiling over tile is usually a much easier and cheaper solution than pulling up your original tiles and re-tiling your floor or wall. One advantage of doing this is that it is time-saving. You do not have to allot work-hours to pull up the existing tiles which means the tiling work can be finished much faster and all without the big mess, so yes you certainly can, but before you do that, you should clean spotless your existing ceramic tiles. This step is very necessary and often overlooked. In fact, it is done not because it will look good but because any grease or dust will make it harder for the tile adhesive to bond.
20th Feb 2018
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Refined Kitchens & Bathrooms
9 Reviews, 100% Positive
In theory it is ok to tile over existing tiles, but it very much depends on the type of background wall and the weight of the tiles. Personally I would never tile over tiles as there are too many variables.
The existing tiles need to be sound and level and the weight needs to be accounted for. If it's a block or brick wall this will have a maximum weight holding capacity and if the wall was plastered before tiling then the tiles will only be stuck to the plaster and not the wall itself.
If the walls are plasterboard then this too has a maximum holding weight. So you need to find out the weight of your tiles per sm and check if this is ok with the type of wall the tiles are stuck to
Another factor is space, if people just tile over tiles then you end up loosing space all round and this can soon add up!
Hope this helps
The existing tiles need to be sound and level and the weight needs to be accounted for. If it's a block or brick wall this will have a maximum weight holding capacity and if the wall was plastered before tiling then the tiles will only be stuck to the plaster and not the wall itself.
If the walls are plasterboard then this too has a maximum holding weight. So you need to find out the weight of your tiles per sm and check if this is ok with the type of wall the tiles are stuck to
Another factor is space, if people just tile over tiles then you end up loosing space all round and this can soon add up!
Hope this helps
25th Feb 2018
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Midlands home maintenance
9 Reviews, 100% Positive
you cant tile over tiles as its just bad practice, id take them off and make good walls then tile
19th Jun 2018
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TS Build&Decor
14 Reviews, 100% Positive
it is possible but i will recommend to remove old tiles and prepare the area.
26th Feb 2018
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No you can't put tiles over tiles in few month time tiles will come off,this is not normal practice.
Regards.
United Build.
Regards.
United Build.
27th Jan 2018
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LGB Tiling
0 Reviews
tiling over the tiles is fine. i would ask them to put a bonding agent over it first tho just to be safe.
27th Mar 2018
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Hq Tiling LTD
1 Reviews, 100% Positive
Hi, I think you did a right think to stop them in progress! Allowed to tile over on existing tiled surface but not on any circumstance! Need to consider about the receiver surface (brick or stud wall) The weight of the tiles, the type of adhesive and also very important would be the primer! I would recommend to use Eco Mape Grip from Mapei!
19th Jan 2018
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Yes you can tile over tiles but best to stagger the joints with the existing tiles that are tiled over to make the bond stronger
26th Jan 2018
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Yes you can tile over tiles
Make sure they are using flexible adhesive and not the ready mixed bucket adhesive and that the rest of the bathroom was done with flexible adhesive
Make sure they are using flexible adhesive and not the ready mixed bucket adhesive and that the rest of the bathroom was done with flexible adhesive
17th Feb 2018
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A.R.D builders london ltd
8 Reviews, 88% Positive
Hi
You need to Remove first old tile and repair the wall then put tile ,if you put new tile over the old tile It will be fAllen down after some time,,
You need to Remove first old tile and repair the wall then put tile ,if you put new tile over the old tile It will be fAllen down after some time,,
10th Jan 2018
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It is not something I would advise but using the right adhesive it can be done
28th Jan 2018
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Not really the best thing to do
I would advise taking them off and starting again,maybe with a different tiler who could produce a good finish 1st time
I would advise taking them off and starting again,maybe with a different tiler who could produce a good finish 1st time
14th Jan 2018
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Ironside Flooring
1 Reviews, 100% Positive
No no no they will not adhere and in time will fall off.
Take them off and start again.
Take them off and start again.
30th Jan 2018
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CM Property Services
95 Reviews, 100% Positive
It is certainly not best practice. It can be done but it depends on what sort of wall you have, the type of covering (plaster, render, blocks, cement boards, ...) and importantly the weight of the tiles. personally if it was my bathroom, the existing tiles would come off.
27th Feb 2018
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ACDC
3 Reviews, 67% Positive
Ideally I don't recommended it
17th Mar 2018
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Weaves Interiors & Outdoors
106 Reviews, 96% Positive
We never tile over tile. some people do. Under regulations you must not bridge more than 32 kgs per meter in domestic house hold. If the tiles fail the hole wall will come off and have seen this happen in bathrooms that are not even 12 months old and the weight can do serious damage and harm.
16th May 2018
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Costa Builder
1 Reviews, 100% Positive
You can tile over tiles, with the right preparation, but I would never do this, the proper way is to strip right back to original wall finish.
Dont worry if you do pull a bit of plaster when stripping the tiles, as its easy enough to replace.
Tiling over tiles can make it awkward, ie extra thickness when tiling around shower fittings.
For the sake of a few hours work I would take them of.
Dont worry if you do pull a bit of plaster when stripping the tiles, as its easy enough to replace.
Tiling over tiles can make it awkward, ie extra thickness when tiling around shower fittings.
For the sake of a few hours work I would take them of.
29th Jan 2018
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CLS Plumbing & Renovation
0 Reviews
Yes provided they are well fixed the originals that is and enough room around doors and windows once new tiles on, use pva on existing tiles first. Can save a lot of work and mess.
17th Aug 2018
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South east Building Services
1 Reviews, 100% Positive
This is ok as long as they use the correct adhesive
8th Aug 2018
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Bob Hamilton wall and floor tiling
2 Reviews, 100% Positive
It is fine to tile over tiles. The only proviso would be to make sure they use powder adhesive not ready mixed because the ready mixed is not strong enough for large porcelain tiles.
9th Sep 2018
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MC Plumbing and Heating
9 Reviews, 100% Positive
It is possible to tile over tiles with the right primer and as long add tree original tiles aren't loose. However with heavy porcelain tiles I would always remove the old tiles.
29th Sep 2018
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This can be done but we would always remove the existing tiles for a perfect result every time.
16th Dec 2018
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CEFN MABLY CONTRACTORS
3 Reviews, 100% Positive
It is perfectly acceptable to tile over tiles but it takes much longer for the adhesive to cure. Also be aware of the fact that you will reduce the size of the room by about 10mm on each re-tiled wall.
4th Feb 2019
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Pipe Dreams Services Ltd
1 Reviews, 100% Positive
Yes you can tile over tile as long as the original tiles are well and truly stuck to the wall, if they are not then you may have issues in the future
30th Mar 2019
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Jpkempplasterers
0 Reviews
Tiling over tiles is not advisable as both shiny and have not any grip to hold on but only advice I can give is if really need to apply blue grit 24/48 hour before the installation of new tiles
3rd Jan 2020
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In theory yes it is fine to tile over tiles. There are a couple of things to consider first though, as the new tiles will be fixed to the existing tiles the quality of the job will depend entirely on how well the original tiles were bonded to the wall. Ideally the grout lines should be off set from the original tiles.
Secondly is the amount of weight being hung onto the wall, depending on what the original tiles were stuck to will depend on how much weight it can carry. If the original tiles were tiles onto plaster then that would give you approx 20kg per m2 of weight carrying. An average m2 of metro tiles is around 12 kg plus around 1.5-2kg of adhesive which would give approx 14kg per m2 so I would definitely consider the weight otherwise they will literally pull plaster off the walls and potentially damage something or worse case injure somebody. Hope this is of help, feel free to ask if any more advice is needed.
Secondly is the amount of weight being hung onto the wall, depending on what the original tiles were stuck to will depend on how much weight it can carry. If the original tiles were tiles onto plaster then that would give you approx 20kg per m2 of weight carrying. An average m2 of metro tiles is around 12 kg plus around 1.5-2kg of adhesive which would give approx 14kg per m2 so I would definitely consider the weight otherwise they will literally pull plaster off the walls and potentially damage something or worse case injure somebody. Hope this is of help, feel free to ask if any more advice is needed.
29th Dec 2019
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OD Tiling Ltd
2 Reviews, 100% Positive
It's perfectly normal to tile over tile as long as the substrate is sound. A tile on tile primer will be used first then a none slip adhesive.
4th Mar 2020
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Horsham Ceramic Tilers
0 Reviews
Yes they are right, you can tile over old (and in your case new tiles) However, large porcelain tiles aren't cheap. So for the tiles they used in the first place, they should/must reimburse you for your loss. eg, you'll probably need to go and buy more tiles now, as you'll be short for the job. Either way, the tiles they used for the first two walls, should be deducted off your bill. Oh, and don't forget the other extra cost of the adhesive used for the two walls.
13th Jan 2022
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