Concerns About Tile Weight and Floor Collapse
Q. How do I know if my 2nd floor bathroom floor is strong enough to handle the weight of tile? There is vinyl on the floor now, obviously tile will add a lot of weight and I don’t know how to check this out.
A. Thank you for sharing your concerns about the floor collapsing. If you can stand on your floor without falling in, chances are it will easily bear the distributed weight of the tile.
However, there are some other concerns. The first is deflection, that is, how flexible the floor is or what is called its bending strength. If the floor is too flexible, the tiles could crack. The best way to check deflection is to stand on the floor and jump up and down without lifting your feet off the floor. If you feel the floor bending, chances are the tiles may crack.
The second concern is the thickness of the sub floor. You should have a minimum sub floor thickness of 1 1/8 inch. This thickness will also help stiffen the floor and reduce deflection. I suggest you have a professional installer come in and do an evaluation. To find a PRO in your area contact us