Can You Lay New Flooring Over Existing Tiles?

The short answer

Whether new flooring can go over existing tiles is a common question at a free measure on the Gold Coast. Many homes here have large areas of ceramic or porcelain tile through living rooms, kitchens and hallways, and owners want a warmer, quieter, more modern floor without the cost, noise and mess of jackhammering tiles off the slab.

In many homes it can be done, and done well. Whether it is right for your home depends on four things: the condition of the tiles, how flat the surface is, how much the floor height will change, and which new floor you choose. This guide walks through each one so you know what to expect before anyone measures.

Which floors can go over tiles

Different floors behave very differently over tile, mostly because of how thick and rigid they are.

• Hybrid flooring: usually the best fit. Its rigid stone-plastic composite core bridges grout lines and small dips, and it floats on its own underlay without being fixed to the tiles.
• Floating engineered timber: can often go over tiles on a suitable underlay, provided the surface is flat enough for the product and the room suits timber.
• Click vinyl plank: possible, but because it is thinner and more flexible, deep grout lines and tile edges can show through over time. The grout lines are usually filled or the surface skimmed with levelling compound first.
• Glue-down vinyl plank and sheet vinyl: need a smooth, continuous surface, so tiles normally need grinding, priming and a full skim coat before installation.
• Carpet: can be laid over tiles. Smooth edge is fixed to the tile, and a quality underlay evens out grout lines underfoot.
• Solid timber: generally not installed over tiles. It needs a different substrate and fixing method.

Check 1: are the tiles firmly bonded?

A new floor is only as stable as what sits underneath it. Before anything is laid over tile, every area should be checked for loose or drummy tiles. A drummy tile sounds hollow when tapped, which means the adhesive has let go underneath. Over time a loose tile can rock, crack or lift, and that movement will travel straight into the new floor above it.

A few isolated drummy tiles can usually be removed and the gaps filled with levelling compound. If large areas are drummy, or tiles are already cracking and lifting, removing the tiles is usually the safer option. Cracked tiles across a whole room can also point to slab movement, which should be understood before any new floor goes down.

Check 2: is the surface flat enough?

Every floating floor has a flatness tolerance set by its manufacturer, typically expressed as a maximum gap under a straight edge of a set length. The exact figure varies from product to product, so it should always be checked against the installation instructions for the floor you choose.

Tiled floors can be out of flat for two reasons. Individual tiles can sit higher than their neighbours, called lippage, and the whole floor can have dips and humps from the original slab. High tile edges can sometimes be ground down, low areas can be filled with levelling compound, and wide, deep grout lines can be filled so they do not show through thinner floors. This preparation is a normal part of laying over tile and should be included in a written quote, not added on the day.

Check 3: how much will the floor height change?

Laying over tiles keeps the old floor in place, so the finished floor sits higher. With hybrid and its underlay, the increase is often around 7 to 10 mm. Carpet and underlay usually add more. A few millimetres sounds small, but it affects several things around the home:

Most of these are routine and are planned at the measure. The important thing is that they are identified before you commit, so there are no surprises on installation day.

• Internal doors may need trimming so they open freely over the new floor
• Dishwashers, fridges and wall ovens set into cabinetry need clearance to slide out for servicing
• Transitions to rooms that keep their tiles, such as bathrooms and laundries, need a suitable trim or ramp
• Sliding doors, external door thresholds and stair nosings need to be checked so the new floor finishes neatly
• Skirting boards may be left in place with a scotia trim, or removed and refitted for a cleaner finish

Check 4: moisture and wet areas

Tiles themselves are waterproof, but they can hide a moisture problem in the slab or a past leak. Signs such as staining in the grout, musty smells or efflorescence (white powdery deposits) are worth investigating before a new floor seals the area over.

Bathrooms and toilets with floor wastes are generally not a good place for floating floors laid over tiles. Many manufacturers exclude rooms with floor wastes or where water can pond, and the waterproofing membrane in a bathroom sits under the tiles, so you would not want to disturb it. In most homes the bathrooms keep their tiles and the new floor finishes at the doorway with a neat transition. Laundries and kitchens are usually fine for waterproof hybrid or vinyl plank, provided spills are wiped up and expansion gaps are kept clear.

When removing the tiles is the better choice

Laying over tiles saves time and money in the right situation, but it is not always the best answer. Removing tiles is usually the better choice when:

Tile removal is noisy and dusty, and it adds labour, disposal and often extra slab preparation to the job. Older homes may also have adhesives, underlays or earlier floor coverings that contain asbestos, so materials in pre-1990 homes should be checked before any removal work begins. If removal is needed, it should be planned and quoted as part of the job.

• Large areas of tiles are loose, drummy or cracked
• The floor is badly out of level and would need heavy filling to bring it within tolerance
• The extra height would cause real problems at external doors, stairs or built-in appliances
• You want a floor that needs to be glued directly to the slab
• The new floor has to sit flush with an adjoining room that has no tiles

What it costs compared with removing tiles

Laying over sound, flat tiles is usually the lower-cost option, because it avoids demolition, disposal and the slab repair that often follows tile removal. The main extra costs when laying over tile are surface preparation, such as grinding high edges and filling grout lines or dips, and finishing details like door trimming and transition trims.

Removing tiles adds labour and disposal, and the slab underneath usually needs grinding and levelling before a new floor can go down. For current supply-and-install price ranges for each floor type, see our Gold Coast flooring cost guide. The only way to know which approach is cheaper for your home is to have the tiles and slab checked, so the quote is based on the actual condition of the floor.

How we assess a tiled floor at the free measure

When we measure a tiled home, we tap across the tiles to find any drummy areas, check flatness with a long straight edge, look at grout width and depth, and note the heights at doors, appliances, stairs and adjoining rooms. We also look for signs of moisture or past leaks.

From there we recommend whether to lay over the tiles or remove them, which floor suits the situation, and what preparation is needed. That is all written into a fixed quote, so you know exactly what is included before any work starts. We bring hybrid, vinyl plank, carpet and timber samples to your home, so you can compare them on your own floor and in your own light.