If you want to give your bathroom or kitchen a fresh look, laying some new tiles can be a great way to do it. There are plenty of interesting tile designs and colours out there to choose from; click here for some inspiration. Once you have decided which tiles you like, can existing tiles be tiled over?

The good news is that you can tile over ceramic tiles that you already have in place. You just need to make sure you follow all the necessary steps. We’re going to take you through those steps, in this post.

Deciding whether the current tiles can be tiled over

Even though it’s possible to tile over ceramic tiles, this doesn’t mean that you should always do so. You need to check that the tiles are in reasonable condition and aren’t lose. If the current tiles are damaged or wobbly, they’re not going to create the firm surface you need for the new tiles.

Preparing the current tiles for the new tiles

Once you’ve established that you have a suitable surface in place, you need to take certain actions to prepare it, so that you can successfully complete your tiling project. Here’s the preparation that’s necessary:

• Get rid of any areas that are higher than the rest of the surface. In order for your tiling job to be successful, you need to be working with a flat surface. If there are any spots standing proud, they have to be ground away before you progress.
• Smooth out the surface, now that it’s flat. You can smooth the surface simply by sanding the area.
• Make sure that the area is clean and that there’s no loose grout on the surface. The best way to get rid of any surface dirt is to take a vacuum cleaner over the area. You then need to wash the entire surface thoroughly. After the washing is complete you need to give the area time to dry completely.

You may think that all this preparation sounds like a lot of hard work, but it’s necessary if you want the tiling to look good, and to be durable, once the job is complete. After completing the preparation, you then need to apply the thinset so you can put the new tiles in place.

Tiling over tiles that are currently in place is certainly possible, and it’s often a simple process. If you come across any problems, or you don’t feel confident of doing a good job, you may want to hire a professional tiler, instead of doing the job yourself. They have the experience to put to use in ensuring you get the successful results you’re after. New tiling can give a fresh feel to a kitchen or bathroom on its own, or you may want to include it as part of a bigger renovation project, to liven up your home, and increase its market value.

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