Tile floor

We bought a used Mobil home. The other owner put in tile floor in the kitchen and dining area. All the grout is coming up and after investigating it seems they used the cement board but the floor under is not stable. You can feel the time move. Is there anything I can do besides rip it all out? I thought of linoleum over but would be afraid the time will break though.

  6 answers
  • 27524803 27524803 on Oct 20, 2017

    We did the same thing... and should have used an "un-coupleling" membrane under the tile along with the hardy backer... we are going to remove the grout and use one that is more flexible.

  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Oct 20, 2017

    If the floor is uneven to start with you should not put a floor over it.

  • 27524803 27524803 on Oct 20, 2017

    An "un-coupling" membrane... is orange with a waffle look to it... it is installed under tile to isolate the tile from the floor itself... the membrane absorbs any motion in the floor such a settling....

    You said that your floor is "not stable" ... you may be having problems (such as dry rot or termite damage) with the floor joists... sometimes, depending on your house's construction, it can be repaired from underneath

  • To do this job properly, you need to rip it all out and start over by stabilizing the sub floor properly. Anything else will be a band aid temporary fix only. Sorry, but it will cost less in the long run to do it right from the get go. Good luck and keep us posted!

  • Roxaneg Roxaneg on Oct 20, 2017

    Repair the floor first before dealing with the tile or you'll be doing the tile twice.

  • Evonne O'Donnell Evonne O'Donnell on Oct 20, 2017

    Thanks all for the answers. Just what we thought, We will have to rip it all out and do it right.