Q: I have 200 square feet of ceramic tile in a room in my house. Is there anything I can put over that? I want to cover it up instead of replacing it. Can I put tile over tile?
A: Yes, that’s usually possible to do, but what you are covering up has to be absolutely solid with no cracks and no hollow sounds in the old flooring. But you’ve got to realize that once it’s done, your new floor level can be half an inch higher than the old floor. That means your cabinet toekicks will be shorter; the dishwasher and refrigerator may not fit in their old spaces. Doors to the room may even need trimming. If you can live with those adjustments, covering the old tile will be faster and less messy than removing it. They actually sell tiles that are made to lay on your old tile.
For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. An Arizona home building and remodeling industry expert for 25 years, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning Rosie on the House radio program, heard locally from 8-11 a.m. on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson and from 9-11 a.m. on KGVY-AM (1080) and -FM (100.7) in Green Valley. Call 888-767-4348.
