Asked on May 01, 2018

Ceramic tile over existing wood deck?

Sandy Rolon
by Sandy Rolon
I have a worn out deck and I want to transform it into a tile deck over, with metal railing, is it advisable and doable? pool collapsed in the Sandy Storm. We have had some pretty bad winter and rain storm in NYC. I believe
  11 answers
  • Rowgop (Pam) Rowgop (Pam) on May 01, 2018

    Idk if thats really a good idea.. Please read information in this website.

    https://www.greatmats.com/deck-tiles/safely-installing-new-deck-flooring-over-old-wood.php

  • Lisa Lisa on May 01, 2018

    The movement of the wood would have the tiles most likely crack, especially if they are stone, terracotta, ceramic etc. The deck would not be a stable enough surface for those types of tile.

  • Candace Candace on May 01, 2018

    Agree with above comments, too much flex. There are paintable products you can use after cleaning and prepping the surface( prepping the surface is usually the most important step). You’ll need to replace any compromised boards otherwise you throwing good money after bad.

    • Sandy Rolon Sandy Rolon on May 02, 2018

      Replacement wood is a given... but thought I could tile but after research decided against it

  • Lisa S. Lisa S. on May 01, 2018

    Too much movement . Also looks like it is rotting. Covering it with things where moisture could be trapped, only invites more rot.

  • Leslie Beacom Leslie Beacom on May 01, 2018

    I agree with everyone but for some other reasons.


    1. I think you said/wrote you live in NY. You get some pretty bad winters there, and tile could crack.


    2. You get a fair amount of rain as well making tile slick. Huge homeowner liability should someone have a slip and fall injury. So you would have to seal the tile with a non-slip product, meaning an added step and more money.


    3. Termites. If you have any damage from termites at all, this could impact the safety of the deck. Tile is very heavy and if you add that to a surface that already has structural integrity issues, that could represent trouble.


    4. Weight: can the support posts handle the additional weight? Maybe not. Another liability issue that insurance might not cover if you do this without proper permits.


    5. Permits: to do this might require building permits. Definitely check with the city or you could get red tagged.


    6. Resale value: it could definitely affect that should new buyers not like it.


    In short, I wouldn't do it.


    • Sandy Rolon Sandy Rolon on May 02, 2018

      Paint ate up the wood but replacing boards are a given ... decided against tiling...


  • PattyV PattyV on May 01, 2018

    I agree with others posters that this is not good idea. looks like you need to repair/replace boards. Saw homedepot had rubber tiles that connect together. Looked to be about 8” squares. They appeared lightweight and because the squares had decorative cuts outs, water drainage wouldn’t be a problem. Plus they would be reusable if you decide to redo deck.

  • Sandy Rolon Sandy Rolon on May 02, 2018

    Thanks for the info... After I posted, I continued to research... and it isn't safe... I'm currently do a comparison, between treated wood again, vinyl and composite... Cost is steering to Wood, last longer... and doesn't buckle with time and is less costly than the other two

  • Sandy Rolon Sandy Rolon on May 02, 2018

    Truly thank you all for the information... decided to sand the old paint, of course replace boards that the paint ate through the wood on... and a friend suggested Encore Self-Repairing Wood & Concrete Deck Coating for protection... little costly supposedly durability is best  . https://encorecoatings.com/

  • Marion Nesbitt Marion Nesbitt on May 06, 2018

    Depending on your budget....... Ceramic tile is not the right tile to use. My front landing was in bad shape. The tile guy removed all the wood boards. Joists were good. Made a concrete base - don't know how. Then used high quality porcelain tile with some texture. Live on the Canadian Prairies with extreme cold in winter. No cracking, etc. Looks very classy. This would improve the value of your home as basically no maintenance except a washing off.

  • Deb K Deb K on Jan 09, 2024

    Hi Sandy, you can do this, and they actually make deck tiles!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wV2E4HHU-0