Karndean on top of tiles

[SingaporeSlander]

We have ceramic floor tiles in our bathroom, which are laid on plywood subfloor instead of floorboards, and are under the toilet base.

I've had quotes for Karndean, but they said we'd have to arrange to have the tiles removed first. This would be a massive pain.

Anyone got any experience about putting Karndean over the top of tiles? Neither of the quotes I've had would be prepared to do this, but I got the impression that they just didn't want to do the work, rather than that it would be a problem.

Anyone got any advice or experience?

Our ceramic floor tiles were cracked when we first moved in. So we had removed and replaced them with some new tiles. But the grouts kept cracking and the builder said that was because the subfloor was not very solid and it moved slightly from time to time.

Finally, we decided to put some Karndean like flooring on top (polyflor?), and the builder said that was ok to do so. We had the floor for almost 3 years now, no problems at all.

Hope it helps.

Thank you, that's really helpful. Do you know what they did to the tiles before putting the floor on top? Presume some sort of screed or something?

The tiles will have to be screeded over before the LVT can be laid. Imo it will better to remove the tiles and the ply and start anew or you'll potentially have your toilet set in to the new flooring and the level at the doorway will be raised.

I don't think they ever screed the floor. The tiled floor was quite level and smooth, and they just glued the polyflor down. The polyflor was quite thin, so the doorway was fine.

It might just be our builders being lazy and having taking the convenient way, but so far so good (touch wood)!

Over tiles it is normal to screed or the outline of the tiles starts to show through.

Thanks Systine, interesting.

That is what the people I've had to quote have said wowfudge, but really I'm looking for an alternate as taking all the tiles and the ply out is too big a job for me really, but too small for any builder I can find.

I'm not so worried about the toilet seat being set into floor, assume I would just silicone round it to seal. Level of meeting with carpet into next room may be more the issue.

We've just had Polyflor Camaro LVT laid in a downstairs WC. They put a latex screed over the ceramic floor tiles and laid the LVT over that. It looks and feels brilliant. There is no issue with the height compared to the next room because the tiles and screed are just millimetres high.

singapore is it a flooring company you were planning to employ to supply and lay your Karndean? Or were you planning to buy it then get someone to lay it? I ask because a flooring company would be able to decide on the best course of action and carry out all the work.

missy it was two flooring companies, they both wanted me to get a builder to take the tiles out / or screed, but they recommended tiles out. Getting a builder to do that here is nigh on impossible, it's just too small a job.

Emily the silicone screed sounds like exactly what I want for the thinness. Thank you, I can go and ask for that now I guess.

Sorry latex not silicone!

OP are you anywhere near East London/Essex as I would highly recommend the firm who did my LVT floor.

Emily I am! Would be great if you'd be happy to recommend.