Assuming I "rough up" the existing 1980's counter tops to get good adhesion on the grout?

The existing counter tops are thick and solid... butt ugly stuff from the Reagan era.

Grouting them and the backsplash myself would be a HALE of a lot cheaper than brand new counter tops.....

wadduathunk?

Reagan built Houses too????

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I don't see why not, except that most formica tops have rounded edges and splash.

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Tile adhesive must be used instead of thin set to glue down the tile.

Paul Kehler Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tile adhesive must be used instead of thin set to
> glue down the tile.



how come?

Its says you can go over lanolium floor tile so why noy ? As long as the counters cleaned of wax or grease...

I was planning on using a palm sized orbital sander and rough sandpaper and gouging da hale outta them before trolling on the thin set.

It can be done, but even if you use really good thin set, the tile could pop. Your best bet is to screw backer board down on the counter first. Rough it up and apply construction glue. Then screw 1/4 inch backer board down. Then tile away!. The only rub is you'll gain 1/4 inch plus the thickness of tile and glue.

Jim O'Connor
45 miles north of The Bronx, N.Y.
1962 Greenbrier 110 4spd
1964 Monza Convertible 110 PG
"Wherever you go....There you are"

Professionals use a layer of 3/4 inch plywood with 1/2 inch dura-rock on top. Thats the current "right" way to do it.

I agree with Paul. If you are going to try it use and adhesive instead of thin set.
It has more "bite" into the smooth surface of the laminate top. I'm 99% sure thin set will end in failure since it rely's on it's bonding components saturating the substrate.

Good luck!

Thin set should only be used between two cement products...tile-backerboard...tile-brick...tile-block...tile-concrete,etc. Adhesive should used between tile-wood...tile-laminate,etc.

Against my better judgment, I helped my brother in law do this in his house about 4 years ago. I sanded the countertop with 40 grit on a DA sander to remove all of the shine. Then I wiped it down with mineral spirits to remove all residues. Then I used tile adhesive not thinset and grouted. The tile it still stuck firmly today!

Make your grout lines between the tiles small and use non-sanded grout. Seal, seal, seal the grout when you're done...

Dave

Ditto on what JimmyO said about the durorock backer board. The problem will come up in a few years due to the smooth surface on the formica. The adhesive will release over time.

If you not planning on staying in this house, or will re-do it in a couple of years, go ahead, but as a contractor, my recommendation is to put down the board and start from there. you will have a much better product.

Also, bought1 is correct on the small joints and SEAL the grout or you will have funk growing in them.

Ryce
Marietta, GA
Former TR driver
65 Monza Convertible

We are getting ready to do tile countertops in my kitchen. 24x24 tiles, small grout lines, and will be using 2 part urethane grout. They say even though the cost is high, the urethane grout is the ONLY way to go when using tile for countertops. Mix it up like epoxy and put it in and never look back.

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Ryan Counterman (Moderator)
1965 Corsa Kelmark V8 400 HP ///1965 Monza Sedan 110/PG /// Ultimate Corvair Hauler/// Don Eichstaedt's 1965 Corsa Racecar
Chairman - 2013 CORSA Convention "A Vairiation In Kalamazoo" /// President - West Michigan Corvair Club /// New Build! 1966 Corsa GTP Convertible Mid Engine 3.8L Supercharged!

In a previous house, the PO put granite over a tile counter. Used a thick swirl of adhesive that covered maybe 50% of the area. Aside from making the counter so high that my wife complained every day, the areas between the swirls became ant colonies. No amount of ant poison could kill them. Fought with that situation for about 3 years, then gutted the kitchen and started over.

That also let me correct the plumbing. They had crossed the water lines, with cold going to the left. Then put a point of use hot water heater on that line to get hot water to the sink. If you left the right faucet on long enough you got hot water from the main water heater upstairs, giving you hot in both.

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The proper way would be to do a new under-layment, BUT you can use a tile adhesive over a laminate, BUT the tiles will move enough to crack regular grout. So use the newer waterproof flexible grout that comes in caulking tubes, typically called "caulk grout" or "urethane grout". Very durable.

I do a lot of tile for people in my remodeling business. I suggest a product called Tavy paper. It's special order from lowes. You glue it down. After it dries, you can put the tile on it with thinnest. I am using it this week for a floor and a counter. As they posts above suggest, the key is to get it to stick. A type 1 adhesive will stick to the Formica but it never actually hardens and water can loosen it. The Tay paper achieves the same as backer board but is super thin.

The Hansons
Lenoir, North Carolina
1963 Rampside
1963 Convertible
1961 Lakewood

I just put ceramic tile over linoleum. It was too hard to scrape up, we used tile adhesive, we didn't ruff it up, we shoulda. Don't even remember if we cleaned w mineral spirits...

Anyhow, when I went to Lowe's, to buy more adhesive, they had a pont-of-sale video showing a lineleum scraper to be installed in reciprocating saw. It was just the tool for the job that was now 1/2 covered in tile!

[www.spyderproducts.com]

Search my vids for bathroom tiles, it's in there somewhere!

You have another alternative, Benissimo System's granite tiles without a grout. These are 12" square field tiles with a finished edge for an "almost" seamless look and there are also bull nose pieces for the edges that give a standard granite thick look, however these tiles are only 3/8" thick.

These tiles can be applied directly over existing laminate making it perfect for a remodel. Laminate will act as the moisture barrier so there is no need to install concrete board. Before applying mortar mix, use sandpaper to thoroughly rough up laminate surface.

It is suggested to cut off edge board almost flush with cabinet.

This system is reported to be 1/2 cost of granite and available in 14 different colors. Looks great installed.

Check listing:
[www.benissimosystems.com]

jimc
1965 Corsa

Nothing wrong with tile, I did it in the bathroom. There are some really neat laminates out there now and its easy to put on a second layer. Probably cost more than tile. If you spill red wine coffee or tea in the grout its a PIA to clean up. If you drop a glass or cup, its toast. The keeper of the check book wanted laminate again. You can buy matching bevel edging on line. She's happy, I'm happy.

J.O.

I too have put new laminate over old. Its actually quite easy to do and can be cheap if you don't mind the limited selection on the shelf of the bog box stores. It gets more expensive when you have to order it.

Dave