Can you tile over tile?

[Kingshakabobo]

I'm helping a friend out next weekend with a little bathroom spruce-up. We're thinking of installing new tile - probably granite. I'm wondering if we can lay it over the old ceramic??? The old ceramic is embedded in mortar so I'm not to thrilled about doing a complete tear-out using a small jack-hammer.

I think the bathroom could stand a slight increase in grade/floor height as there isn't any step up in the room. I don't know if it could handle tile AND cement-board which would probably be a better method.

Hmmmm.....what to do, what to do?

[Stinky The Clown]

1. We put tile over tile a few years

All tile books will tell you this is possible ... and it is .... so long as the old tile is sound. I doubt you'll encounter a glazed, high shine, floor tile, but if you do, you need to rough it up a bit with a grinder or very aggressive sandpaper. Glazed tile with a texture is okay. You're looking for some 'tooth' for the new thinset to bond to.

Our old floor was small 1x1x and 1x2 mosaic with a glazed toothy texture. Just a wash with tsp and were off to the races.

[Kingshakabobo]

2. Cool! Thanks!

I'm pretty sure I've seen it done here in Chicago but I couldn't recall for sure. It seems as though everyone's bathroom in this city has a slight step-up to the room.