Cement Floor Board?

[chasineyes]

Do I need to put some durock down before I lay tile or can I go directly over the existing laminate? Doing a bathroom thats about 6x10.

[Roofer]

Yep, use the cement backer. In theory it will not mold or rot and will be level. Start the tile in the center of the room.

[Stratosman]

Remove any flooring that is in there, start at the subfloor, use 1/4" or 1/2" board, whatever height you want to end up with, make sure your subloor is level as adding cement board will not level anything, you need to mortar and screw the board down, mortar gives you a solid connection to the floor and eliminates any flex there might be between the cement board and the subfloor. Just use a 1/4"x1/4"x1/4" sqaure notch trowel for this.

But make sure your subloor is solid, at least 3/4" thick with joist spacing no more that 19.2", other wise it's a good idea to lay another layer of plywood to reduce flex between joists.

Good luck!

[icechipper]

After the backer board is down, figure out your layout before setting or cutting any tiles. Try to layout your tiles so that you have a even size of cut on each side of the room. Then snap some lines on the floor to follow staying back a 1/4" so that you can put your thinset down and still see your lines, start with a full row of tile and then fill in along the edges with the cut pieces if any. Buy the 1/4" spacers or whatever the size of grout line that your tile needs and use them as you are laying the tile. Easiest for removal and grouting is to use 4 spacers at each "corner" instead of laying one flat in the corner. Be sure to clean out any thinset between the tiles as you are setting them or you will have to work at it before you grout.

Last but not least, take your time.... Good luck let us know if you have any questions.

[nofishfisherman]

For sure go with the cement board.

Let me suggest an alternative to the traditonal method of starting in the center of the room.

If you are doing a bathroom consider starting with a full tile right in front of the door and work your way out from there. You will have cut tiles on 3 out of the 4 walls. This method allows you to see a full tile right as you walk in the door instead of seeing half or partial tiles all the way around.

If your walls are not perfectly square your last row of tiles along the opposite wall from the door will need to be cut to make up for it not being square.

If you are doing a kitchen or an entry area this same method can be used. The best you can expect to do though is have full tiles along two of the sides and generally not on two opposing sides.

I know this ducks tradition in laying tile but it does give a nice look to have full tiles seen right away. It makes the biggest difference if you are entering a tiled room from a single door like a bathroom. If its a small bathroom it makes it look even better. In a small bathroom you will have so few full tiles so its nice to show off a nice full tile right away.

[Pat K]

The laminates I've seen have all been floating floors, so you would need to remove the laminate before putting down backer board.

In a small room like that I would dry lay a row of tile in each direction first. Nothing worse looking than a 1" slice of tile at the entrance to a room.

[DrJ]

Nofishfisherman has got it right. I just remodeled my kids bathroom since the last one is off to college,the old tiles were cut and the transition to the carpet always bugged me.

By starting at the door the transition to the carpet looks much better now against a full tile. DrJ

[Stratosman]

Yep just chalk your lines from the door in..work your way back out. Two tiles and two grout lines wide. That is the best look.