In order to install tile directly over the exterior plywood, you will need to use a special bonding … Is your tile deck above living space or above an open area? No matter how firm the subfloor; the plywood will expand and contract at a different rate as the tile, causing cracks to develop in the grout lines or tiles over … 9 Clean up after grouting. 5 Mix and apply the tile mortar. … 6 Set the tile. While you can lay tile directly over a concrete slab using thin-set adhesive, don't make the mistake of applying tile directly to a plywood subfloor. 3 – Underlayment (Plywood or Cement Board) For detailed substrate preparation information, see out Substrate and Edge Trims page. Tile and setting materials (e.g., BB’s, thin-set, etc.) 8 Mix and apply grout. must be suitable for exterior applications over decks constructed from plywood. Tiling onto plywood using a standard tile adhesive can be problematic, initially i would make sure that the plywood … 10 Complete the installation … To install ceramic tile over wood, the wood surface must be structurally sound enough to support the weight of the tile. 3 Apply a waterproofing membrane. A licensed architect or structural engineer should evaluate the exterior deck before the installation of Noble Deck and tile. WOOD — Floors, Interior - Ceramic or Porcelain Tile 5 19.2" (488 mm) o.c. I tile over plywood subfloors on a constant basis, both with ceramic, as well as natural stone tile (see pictures 2 & 3). 7 Prepare the installation for grouting. Thinset mortar is the primary method for installing ceramic or stone tiles onto new surfaces, acting like cement to bond the tiles into their new homes. 2 Prepare the exterior substrate to receive tile. This will usually dictate whether a plywood underlayment or a cement board underlayment should be used over your plywood … Board and Waterproofing. 4 Plan the exterior floor layout and make tile cuts. A poor ceramic installation will delaminate from the subfloor, split at the grout lines, or worse–crack directly across the tile. One question that folks new to ceramic tile frequently ask is whether they can lay the ceramic directly on top of a plywood or OSB subfloor, using a thinset cement or liquid nails to glue down the tile … Tile should never be installed directly onto plywood. joist spacing, single layer OSB or plywood subfloor D-W19-T-20 Ceramic or porcelain tile Schluter SET®, Schluter ALL-SET®, Schluter … However, because of seasonal movement, as well as how easily plywood can be affected by moisture, it's a risky installation … Most tiles are approved for installation over solid plywood floors, but before you can spread the thinset and lay the tiles, you have to prepare the plywood … Concrete is the preferred choice for an exterior setting, but either works. Exterior plywood contracts and expands, which makes it hard to bond with other materials. Instead, use a concrete or fiber board. "Actually, you can[tile over plywood]. A plywood underlayment (I’m not sure it was exterior grade or pressure treated) was installed over the 1×6 pressure treated decking, and the tile installed on top of that.