*Installing Ceramic Tile on Sub Floor:

Before installing ceramic tile on a sub floor you must ensure it is structurally sound and able to support the installation. Tile floors are heavy and made of hard material. They will break or dislodge if the sub floor bends under a load.  You must also ensure you have a very flat surface to work on.  If needed, sand your plywood sub floor down (it should be 3/4" thick min.) so that it is level or buy a product such as Edge Gold (7/8" engineered OSB) which is guaranteed to be level.

If using a 3/4" plywood or 7/8" engineered OSB as your bottom layer of sub floor, than you must also install a second layer of 3/8" plywood on top of your bottom layer, laying it in the opposite direction.  This helps to strengthen the structural integrity of  the sub floor and will give it an adequate total thickness of 1 1/8" or more.

Another benefit of using a layer of 3/8" plywood for the top layer of your sub floor is that your top layer is 3/8" as is the standard thickness of a tile.  This means you will have a total thickness of 3/4" (the thickness of the top layer of sub floor plus a tile).  If you plan on installing 3/4" pre-finished hardwood in adjoining rooms, you will now have a flush transition (no need for reducer strips), whereas many hardwoods can be installed directly on the bottom layer of a 3/4" or 7/8" sub floor.

Porous and Semi-Porous Tile:

For porous and semi-porous tiles it is a good idea to use a tile sealer. Tile sealers are designed for long-term waterproofing and stain resistance for tile and stone. We recommend a non-yellowing acrylic water based sealer that dries to a clear finish, such as Jeric Tile-Seal.

High Traffic Areas and Shine:

For high traffic areas or for that porcelain looking shine, we recommend using Jeric Traffic Coat. Jeric Traffic Coat resists soiling, detergents, scuffing and black high heel marks. A test area should be done prior, to ensure satisfaction of sealed area appearance.

Mildew and Soap Scum:

Jeric Ceramic Tile and Grout Cleaner removes mildew, soap scum and other films from glazed tile and cement based grouts on floors and walls. It is a premium product concentrated for difficult cleaning of tile and grout joints.

Grout and Tile Haze:

Sometimes a cement grout residue or efflorescence can be left on your tile or grout. When this happens you need to use a safe acid-based product to safely remove this residue. We recommend Jeric Grout Haze Remover for glazed ceramic or porcelain tile.

Grout Sealing:

It is always a good idea to seal your grout lines regardless of whether or not you plan on sealing your tile. Grout lines are very vulnerable to staining and discoloration thus a penetrating silicone sealer is highly recommended (especially in foyers, kitchens and bathrooms). We recommend Flextile 49 Silicone Sealer for all Flextile grouting products.