ceramic tile in basement

[jvtran]

i plan to install ceramic tile over concrete basement floor. how should this be done? do i need cement backer board? if so how thick and how should i fasten it to the concrete floor?

can i just lay the tile on top to the concrete without backer board?

[floorman]

Sorry it took so long to respond.You first need to go over the floor and check for cracks,if you have any they will need to be isolated with some sort of membrane.While there check for flatness as well it will need to be pretty flat for tile,if too rough you will need to level the floor with something.
Please get back to us and we will get you through this.[8D]

Floorman
floorlayers union local 1310

[HayZee518]

My dad put vinyl tile directly on the cement floor AFTER sealing with a concrete sealer. Because this is ceramic directly over concrete, I would used a concrete "binder" to assure bonding of the quickset mortar to the existing concrete. My shower pan was custom built and used a sort of dry mortar for the floor so it had necessary "teeth" when applying the quickset to it to set the tiles into.

[SSN596]

It is always a good idea to use an anti-fracture membrane when putting tile on concrete. Use either an actual membrane, of on of the new brush-on types like RedGard.

[jvtran]

What about a cement backer board? Can I place 1/4 cement backer board on top of the concrete anchored down with tapcons screws and then tile right over that?

Do you see any problems with that?

[SSN596]

Putting backer board on a cement floor is overkill. Way too much work. If the cement floor surface is damages, patch as necessary. Then use the membrane, applied per manufacturer instructions.

[jvtran]

ok the local hardware store sold me some self leveling concrete and told me to use thinset on top of the concrete and then tile right over that.

it was mentioned on a earlier post touse a membrane. what are membranes usually made of? rubber? how do i get that to stick to the concrete?

[SSN596]

There are a number of different membranes. Some are a stretchable fabric, one ( RedGard ) is liquid applied with a roller. Follow directions about adhesion.