Modern building technologies are constantly evolving, allowing the consumer to enjoy a huge number of opportunities for the use of conservative materials. In this regard, the question of whether it is possible to lay tiles on plywood receives not just a positive, but a detailed answer.
Today you can veneer anything, the surfaces are:
- wood;
- brick;
- concrete.
The first option is quite often interesting for beginners. The answer to the above question is possible for the reason that plywood has recently taken a strong position and is used not only for sheathing ceilings and walls, but also as a floor insulation.
Plywood is chosen by consumers for many reasons. This material is suitable for facing surfaces that have an impressive area. Although it is possible to lay tiles on plywood, a number of nuances should be observed. For devicewarm floors, this approach is not relevant, because a concrete screed is required.
Choosing plywood
Tile is a rather heavy material, so it is necessary to choose the right plywood sheet, which will have the appropriate density and thickness. It is one thing to purchase such a base for the ceiling and walls, and another for the floor. The instruction in this case recommends purchasing material whose thickness is 28 mm or more.
The problem may lie not in the moment of masonry, but in the consequences, when insufficient sheet thickness leads to deformations. There is not much to say about the material itself. It should be noted only that it is environmentally friendly. Plywood can be waterproof, in this case we are talking about its veneered variety, which is not inferior to clay brick.
Glue selection
When answering the question of whether it is possible to lay ceramic tiles on plywood, you must decide which adhesive to choose. Some experts recommend choosing a suitable type of mortar, while others advise buying a universal option for wood. The main feature of such compositions is that they allow the finish to adapt to the movement of the base. Among their ingredients, highly elastic components should be highlighted, namely:
- fiberglass;
- microfiber;
- silane;
- silicone.
However, this list is not complete, because thereother polymeric modifiers are also present. Once you have decided whether you can lay floor tiles on plywood, there are a few other things you need to know about. They lie in the fact that the adhesive for mounting ceramics on wood should be quite liquid, which eliminates the need for tapping on the surface of the finish after installation. The mixture should spread over the surface on its own.
Among non-standard solutions should be highlighted:
- liquid glass;
- liquid nails;
- varnish NC.
In the latter case, we are talking about a composition to which foam plastic chips treated with acetone are added. However, all these methods do not allow you to get a 100% guarantee of reliable fastening, so it is better to use specialized mixtures.
Additional preparation of plywood
Due to the fact that laying tiles on clean, smooth plywood is almost impossible, you need to take care of the preparation. For this, the surface should be given higher adhesive properties. To begin with, it is treated with an antiseptic, then a waterproofing mixture is applied. This is true even for moisture resistant sheets. Then, to improve adhesion with the coating, a sickle mesh is fixed on the surface.
Plywood needs to be primed several times. This will not only improve the quality of adhesion, but also provide additional protection for the material from moisture. Since you already know whether it is possible to lay tiles on plywood, in the next step you can proceed to the installationwork according to the standard scheme. When facing walls, a support rail is installed at the first stage so that the material does not slide down.
An important point to consider when laying tiles and installing plywood itself is that the material will change in linear dimensions when exposed to the external environment. For this reason, it is necessary to leave small gaps between the plates, as well as around the perimeter of the room. This will compensate for the movement of the sheets. In order to avoid voids, they can be filled with polyurethane foam.
Preparing
Now you know if you can tile on plywood. However, when carrying out such work, it is important to pay special attention to preparation. At the same time, it is important to bring the surface of the wood into perfect smoothness. In order to achieve ideal results, you can screw a few more screws into the material. The main condition here is the requirement that the heads of the screws are tightly recessed.
Before starting work, it is necessary to prepare a certain set of tools and materials, among them:
- grinder;
- elastic adhesive;
- roulette;
- waterproofing;
- building level;
- hammer with plastic head;
- Bulgarian;
- grout.
Waterproofing
Many home masters are wondering if it is possible to puttiles on plywood. Even if you do not have relevant experience in carrying out such work, then you know that such work can be carried out. At the next stage, the technology provides for waterproofing. This step is necessary because the wood, under the influence of moisture and temperature differences, rots and deforms. Even during the installation of the panels, waterproofing can be laid under them, which is mastic or polyethylene.
Before laying tiles, plywood must be primed in several layers, using mastic for this. For complete absorption and drying, this composition will take 5 hours. With this processing, the above question is no longer worth it.
Masonry work
Glue dries fairly quickly, so do not rush to knead the entire volume of the solution at once. The mixture is laid evenly on the surface. After that, you can lay the first tile. You need to start from the corner where the whole product will be. Ceramics are mounted with some pressure on its surface. In order not to deform the tile, it is necessary to tap on the corners and on the central part with a plastic hammer.
Laying tiles on plywood is accompanied by adjusting its position for some time, until the glue completely hardens. Once you are done with the first row, you can proceed to the second. Crosses that are installed between the tiles will help to adhere to a certain size of the seams. The middle seam should notbe more than 3 mm, however, sometimes tiles are laid with seams up to 7 mm, which is true for those rooms whose conditions differ in temperature differences. Before laying tiles on plywood, you should become more familiar with the technology. It provides for the creation of a flat surface with the help of cladding. In this case, you should use the building level.
For reference
Even a novice master should know if it is possible to lay tiles on plywood. This question should be answered in the affirmative. However, before starting work, you need to familiarize yourself with some of the nuances. Among them, it should be highlighted that the adhesive may contain hardeners. In this case, the manipulations should be carried out fairly quickly, otherwise the glue will quickly grab and you will not have time to align the products horizontally.
Conclusion
It is also important to remember about the features of the choice of plywood. You should not take thin sheets in the hope of saving money. A good base can only be obtained with a 25 mm canvas. Now you know whether it is possible to glue tiles on plywood, however, it should be remembered that such a base, even if it is moisture resistant, can deform over time under the influence of moisture. Therefore, it is recommended to use additional waterproofing products.
