Applying Epoxy over Tiles - How to ensure proper bonding and filling
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- Опубликовано: 26 июн 2024
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This video explains how epoxies can be applied over tiles. We look at the key factors you need to keep in mind when coating over tiles
1. Establish bonding between the tiles and epoxy by grinding the tiles and applying a high quality epoxy primer
2. Grouting and filling the joins of the tiles in order to get a uniform surface
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Akis Apostolopoulos has been involved in the manufacturing and application of industrial floor coatings for the past ten years. He runs learncoatings which is an online resource training professionals on the use of epoxy floors. He is also General Manager of Ktisis, a manufacturer of flooring and waterproofing coatings.
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An easy made video, good step taken by the instructor. Thanks
You are welcome Ndubueze, glad that you liked it
Just what I needed to know!Thank you!!!!
You are welcome!
Thanks for an excellent lecture
Hi,I like the video and it was informative.Thanks
you are welcome, thanks for your support!
Thank you sooo much
thank you I'm willing to grind etc to make the epoxy sticking to the tiles...to notice the joints dont bother me at all :)
Nice one , It helped !!
Thanks I'm happy that the advice was useful!
I've watched a bunch of your videos and have found them extremely helpful. Thank you for the work you put into making them and for always responding to everyone's questions. I have a question of my own. I'm redoing the flooring in a commercial kitchen and I'd like to use an expoxy coating. The floor was glossy pavers (like shiny bricks with mortar/grout), which I have ground down to remove the shine and expose the porous material. I'm thinking of applying a self-leveling concrete as an underlayment for the epoxy coating, mainly to smooth and stabilize the surface. Would you recommend just going for 2 coats of self-leveling epoxy instead? Would this be viable in a commercial kitchen application?
Thank you for your kind words. I do not have any experience applying a self leveling cement on tiles. Personally only applying epoxy as I would rather have less types of materials forming each interlinking layer. I would rather have the epoxy primer penetrate the tiles so you can apply epoxy on top directly without different types of products that may have different resistance and tensile strength
@@learncoatings-epoxyfloorin9448 That makes a lot of sense. Thank you!
I have my heart set on ocean blue floor epoxy over my ugly ceramic tiles with the 1/2 inch grout lines. I have come up with a protocol: clean and vacuum the tiles especially the grout lines, use epoxy floor patch in the grout lines to make the result even with the tile; sand and grind the tiles and floor patch; put 2 coats of primer on the floor to prevent air bubbles; pour my first accent color ( navy blue) in puddles on the floor and distribute the color using a spiked roller in spots to make the floor more mysterious; spray isopropyl alcohol 91% over the spots; mix the oceanic blue in the Part A and leave overnight; in 24 hours pour my oceanic blue and squiggie then use a spiked roller; mix the sky blue; pour the sky blue in puddles in the floor and use the squiggie and spikes rollers; spray isopropyl alcohol 91%; VENTILATE THE PLACE AND WAIT 48 HOURS; use a propane torch to get out the bubbles; wait 30 days before moving anything heavy on the floor.
Thank you for great tips . Was wondering if using self leveling over tiles be good idea to fill the joints and in the same time levels the floor.an advice needed pls🙂
You are welcome. One coat of self leveling is not sufficient to eliminate the joint marks. You may make a perfect looking surface and the next day some joint marks have reappeared. I always recommend a second of self leveling epoxy on top and if the customer complains about the price remind them it's still much less hassle than tearing out the tiles
Imma do this in my kitchen
Will this be a good idea to do outside on my balcony on top of tiles?
I truly respect your expertise. To prep the floor for ceramic tile would it make better sense to: 1) use a grinder and sander to grind the tiles 2) use a high viscosity primer in the joints to hide the joints 3) Use a thin viscosity primer/leveler to level the floor 4) topcoat of epoxy?
Since tiles can be difficult for bonding I prefer using a low viscosity primer to make sure that the surface is properly penetrated. I then use a higher viscosity epoxy compound - either primer mixed with sand or self leveling epoxy to fill up the joints.
Even after filling the joints will most likely not be fully covered. That is why I recommend another thickcoat of epoxy self leveling to top it off
Thanks...great video and I loved the part about grinding and scarifying the tile and proper clean up with a vacuum then clean water. In my case, the tile is marble and I need to build a level surface because it was done originally with a pitch so I will need to build up the floor level on one side up to two and a half inches (I did't measure yet) with a metal lathe first, then perhaps a concrete bonding medium such as weldcrete to bond the old tile to the concrete or rip the whole thing up and start new which I don't want to do, because of time limits. Or, I can build up to level with wood, then use a latex based waterproofer membrane, then use a fiberglass sheet, followed by a another product, to coat the fiberglass for the mortar later on, then apply the ceramic tile. Thanks for listening.
As a general point, marble is very difficult to get good bonding because it has tiny pores. So you may want to avoid casting concrete on top. Building up with wood can also be tricky, cause that area may give off a hollow sound and also a wooden substrate can cause movement that could lead to something cracking
If time allows, I say rip it out and do it from scratch
Thanks for the feedback and in my case, I built over the existing floor and should have used two pieces of plywood and made them level so as you know, if I don't get it all level, it will eventually be a problem for any tile I use on top. That was around eight years ago and it has already been showing signs of cracking and I can see the movement in the middle parts of the floor. I will take your advise and rip up the floor and make everything level first before doing all of the other steps.
I will probably use a floor leveling medium that's concrete based after I tear up all of the old tile and mortar. Then, I'd consider stapling a metal lathe to the entire floor and skim coat a concrete or floor leveling medium over the entire floor.
I may need to use some sort of product to waterproof the wood first such as a product similar to latex based roofing cement to prevent water seepage.
Your videos are very informative. I'm a flooring contractor wanting to get into epoxy. We would normally use Ardex Feather Finish to skim coat the tile joints twice before installing glue down or floating floor covering. Is it possible to grind the tile with a diamond grinder, apply the primer usually used for the Ardex, skim the joints twice and then apply epoxy? I'm am extremely comfortable and fast using Ardex. Just not sure about its compatibility with epoxies? They also have other self leveling products. Thanks so much.
I understand that Ardex Feather finish is a cementitious product. I know some guys that use cementitious underlayments to fill up joints, but I am not a big fan as I have seen the intermediate cementitious layer crack in certain cases.
In general I avoid using a sandwich of different products (tile - cement primer - cementitious - epoxy). I would much rather go with epoxy primer on tile and then epoxy layers on top
@@learncoatings-epoxyfloorin9448 ok. Thanks so much. Could you send me a link to the product you have available for leveling the grout joints. Would prefer to purchase from someone with real life success with it.
What if the tiles contain asbestos so grinding or sanding is not an option? Could I put down self-leveling cement?
at 3:21 you show application of a thick coating that covers the tile and joints so they don't show and everything looks smooth? what product is that, how many coats, and did you fill and level the joints first in that job with epoxy grout? I have a solid tile floor with big tiles and deep mortar joints wondering how long to prep that 450 ft2. Does a self leveling base coat on top on the tiles eliminate the need to fill the grout channels? thanks
Applying a first base of self leveling epoxy should eliminate 90% of the joints. Still however before you apply thte top coat you should go back and check that all joints have been properly filled. Sometimes crooked tiles may lead to gaps being visible
I have beautiful slate floors, but due to being disabled maintaining them has become difficult. I've tried looking up videos of using epoxy resin over slate, but haven't found any. Do you have any tips on how to do this? I love the look of my floors, it's the multi colored slate. I love the feel of the stone, but again cleaning can be a pain. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
slate stone is notoriously difficult for bonding that is why epoxy companies shy away of painting over slate. The only chemicals that can penetrate stone are highly thinned products like acrylic and silicone based treatment
LearnCoatings - Epoxy Flooring Training
thank you for your help, though I'm bummed about the slate. I still appreciate the response!
Can a ready patch like zinser work for patching the grout lines?
Ready patches should only be used in very small areas
Could we use primer mixed with silica sand as a first layer to cover the tile joints or is it more economical to use screed grout as a base layer’?
It is common to mix primer with silica sand when using a high viscosity honey like primer. On tiles I prefer using a low viscosity runny primer that penetrates the tiles instead. I would rather add a separate grout layer
Dear sir, Thank you for your good video . My question to you is if I sand the tile before applying epoxy , I shall use 60 grit , 200 grit or how much to sand it?
I m planning to use small random orbital sanding machine to sand the tile is that ok? After that will just apply epoxy without leveling it.
With what to fill those lines?
Sir , My wash basin looks old . Can i coat with epoxy resin for a new look ?
it depends on the surface. If its porcelain, I doubt that it will stick. Make sure you put a primer that will stick to that surface
i want to aske you about applying epoxy over to titles
first i remove the glossy layer frome the tiles
then i make self-leveling cement
and then i make primer epoxy
You need to first make sure that the self leveling cement will bond to the tiles. That is why I prefer to use epoxy all the way. Prime the tiles. And apply one layer of self leveling epoxy as an intermediate layer. Then you can add a top layer of epoxy
@@learncoatings-epoxyfloorin9448 what would you prime the tiles with first? what is a good self leveling epoxy to use?
Can you recommend a product for filling the grout joints?
The best is epoxy based tile grout
I wanted to make my own tiles with epoxy resin... So they're like orgonite tiles... Is that possible?
This subject is beyond my expertise but I imagine if you have a proper mould you could make epoxy tiles. You would also need a mechanism to remove gassing
Please I need a site where I can completely buy epoxy floor chemicals from the primer to clear top coat
where are you based? Our website is www.ktisis.eu where you can learn more about our products
What do you recommend to used to fill in the gaps between each tiles I have old tiles they put down between 1950s to 80s but I won't remove incase they contain aspestose.
I would recommend use epoxy tile grout but as I explain in the video you may be better off applying a self leveling base coat on top of the tiles
@@learncoatings-epoxyfloorin9448 thank you
Could I potentially make my own custom tiles out of epoxy? If I pour a flat sheet of epoxy into a pan with release film and be very sure that it is flat, and of homogeneous thickness, then once it sets remove it and use a table saw to cut it to size, is epoxy resin a good material?
I plan on using chrome vinyl film,
glass, and clear glue to make a backlit backsplash for my kitchen, using a mixture of opaque and translucent colored tile. Apply the chrome film to the back of the opaque tiles and to the wall. Then put the glass on the wall, and tile on the glass. Light the edge of the glass with LEDs, and it would show through the translucent tiles. Very cool effect and 100% customizable, if it's possible to make tiles out of epoxy resin.
I can't give that answer as I have no experience in casting epoxy resin. You need to learn this by trial error. However remember that epoxy has a tendency to go yellow over time
@@learncoatings-epoxyfloorin9448 I was not aware of that, but it appears to be caused by UV light, based on my quick google search.
Non-yellowing epoxy appears to exist in some form already, and I could employ a UV filter between the LEDs and the glass. And then it was an orange translucence anyway...
I have a question: if I sanded the tiles up to the level of the joints would that also be fine? (I have a festool rg150 milling machine) thanking you in advance for your answer
You could give it a try, but an aggressive milling machine may end up damaging and breaking the tiles. It really depends on how durable the tiles are, and how well they have been put in place.
@@learncoatings-epoxyfloorin9448 thank you for your reply. So for sanding the tiles, what method do you recommend?
Question:
Is epoxy paint safe to use in the boiler room? I have three water heater boilers, washing machine and a gas dryer just want to ensure this paint is safe to use.
Yes of course its safe. As long as you dont get constant hot water on the surface which could cause delamination
I just bought a building and they already pull the tile up can i put the epoxy on the concrete
Yes if you strip the tiles, then you need to grind the floor underneath and remove all the left over adhesive from the tiles. Once you have reached smooth and clean concrete, you can coat over
Hi Akis, I am a designer and am going to try something risky and kind of out there. My crew think I am a bit crazy. I am installing manufactured hardwood flooring throughout the entire house. the Master bedroom and bathroom floors all run together and I do not want to interrupt the continuous feel by breaking the flow with tile in the shower. There are virtually no transitions in the flooring throughout the whole house. So.....Here is my question. I have framed, plumbed and hot moped my shower area to also have no transition from the bathroom floor into the shower area. It might be referred to as an "open" shower. I will be tiling the walls of the shower area. There will be no glass shower door. The shower floor has been prepped so the water will flow into the drain at a very slight angle and away from the main floor in the bathroom. I am planning on continuing the manufactured hardwood flooring into the shower floor and doing an epoxy finish. I thought I would also add a touch of light sand to the areas directly under the shower head to prevent slipping. I also learned about you low velocity primer and I will be sure use as you directed. I am not expecting this application to last a lifetime or even several years, but who knows, only time will tell. I would greatly appreciate your expert advise in helping guide me with my project. Is there an epoxy that would be better for wood, maybe the one you used on tile? Or would stone epoxy be better for long life? Thank you for your time. I will send a picture when my project is finished. Michelle T
Hi Michelle for the bathroom and shower I believe a type of stone carpet epoxy would better as it will prevent slipping. Water on epoxy can make a very slippery surface. In general I don't support coating epoxy over wood as wood has different expansion coefficients compared to epoxy which could lead to peeling or cracking in the future.
do you think epoxy is suitable for home use? I heard it is really easily scratched and some other issues
I am not a fan of applying epoxies in homes. And the issues your raise about scratching is important. Have a look at this article too
learncoatings.com/wordpress/should-we-be-installing-epoxy-floors-in-homes/
Use polyaspartic, high scratch resistance and low VOC
@@widowmaker1797 do you mean as a top coat/finish?
James Kid either is scratch resistant, but poly is made for high traffic areas or sunlight exposure. If you use poly then you'll want to use all poly, otherwise you'll need to sand. What is your idea for the floor? Metallic, solid?
@@widowmaker1797 tiled floor like the one in the video, im very interested in the self levelling epoxy he used, other videos say you need to fill all grout lines in
I have black non gloss tiles. Can I apply clear apoxy over them with a brush. It's a leaking balcony.
Long story, I got someone to clear the old grout and fill with apoxy grout, but I suspect he put too much grout and less apoxy as when he was filing the gaps the substance was more sandy than gluey. So now I still have water seeping 😔. I purchased the Dunlop apoxy grout kit, he mixed it but didn't use the whole lot at once. The fist time he mixed it was sandy. The second batch was more gluey ... The sandy side is leaking more 😔
I'm thinking of getting another pack and just going over the tiles with the glue only that comes inside the pack?
It rained the last 2 days...and water leaked everywhere... I'm in trouble 😬
I would not advise using epoxy. I take it these tiles are exposed outdoors which means epoxy won't last long. Also are the tiles loose? No amount of grout will fix that. You need to remove and re apply
@@learncoatings-epoxyfloorin9448
Remove the tiles and re-apply with Dunlop epoxy grout.?.. I can do that... But yes...it's an exposed balcony with no run off tilt 😔trying to stop it from leaking... Alas... So far fail 😔
Hi, i want to put primer epoxy on the joint of my bathroom tile to make it look clean n gloss. Can it be done or will it get removed/scratched when i clean the floor next time.
would appreciate some advice. :)
There are much more convenient products than epoxy primer for sealing tile joints. Epoxy is hard to clean if you smudge the tiles. I would recommend a silane based sealant that is used for this purpose
thanks
I was going to do this process, but I was told that the epoxy will peel like crazy if I attempt this. We currently have totally unsealed, fresh saltillos to work with. If we scratch them, apply the thin primer, then do the epoxy, will the epoxy peel in a couple of years? someone also suggested going over the epoxy with a urethane sealer to keep it from peeling? total novice here, so advice from anyone with experience would be SO appreciated! thanks in advance
Grind the tiles and then run your finger over them to so you can feel the roughness. You want the scratches to be visible. Then apply a thin epoxy primer. It should not peel within two years
Grouting tile joints is really time consuming, I preffer saturate second coat with silica sand and then diamond grind it quickly. Then u good to go
Yes saturation and diamond grinding is a good choice. It may come out more expensive but it definitely saves on labour
dear brother , I Have UV flatbed Printer , print on tile and coat with epoxy over it but the uv ink does not bond to tile properly , how to prepare ceramic tile surface so that uv ink can bond properly
I have zero experience from printing but I would suggest sanding the tile with a high grit sandpaper like 300 or 1000. Wipe the dust and then print
@@learncoatings-epoxyfloorin9448 Thanks for ur reply
What do you use to sand tile ?
I recommend a diamond grinder, preferable with a low grit like 16 or 30 to give the tile glazing a good scratch
What do I use to fill up the joints on the tiles?
I would recommend using an epoxy based grouting compound
@@learncoatings-epoxyfloorin9448 thank you so much I’ll look for it
Can you apply Epoxy over VCT tile
No it's not possible. Getting the epoxy to stick to vinyl long term is very difficult
Can you apply epoxy on cement tiles
Epoxy bonds pretty well on cement. You may need to grind them and fill any gaps between the tiles
Can epoxy filing be used on Matt finished tiles
Yes you should follow the same process. Grind and prime
Or better yet: I need to buy or make a model of my ceramic floor and experiment before doing anything.
What happens if I don't send the tiles, I am concerned that my tiles may contain asbestos.
If they contain asbestos they must be very old tiles... The purpose of sanding tiles is that they usually come with this ceramic coating that may be difficult to bond with epoxy. So by sanding them you guarantee better long term adhesion. If you dont sand the tiles you may start getting de-bonding after 1-2 months
yes our home was built in 1964. Our options are to cover the tiles or professionally have them removed, but if you sand asbestos tiles it put releases the dangerous dust in the air, so most coverings require sanding. We thought to use epoxy over the tiles to seal them and looks great.
@@melanietrexler6395 I am contemplating putting epoxy over asbestos times in my basement. I noticed you did this approximately 2 years ago. Did this turn out to be a good decision? I have a big area. Thanks, Diane in Wentzville, Missouri
@@dianeluecke1261 we ended up going with removal because some of the tiles were cracked and there was too much moisture coming from the concrete underneath.
He looks sick as fuck!
I'm reading this from one of the epoxy kit vendors who claim to have thicker product. Does this make sense or is it marketing bs that every vendor says? If i hire a vendor, should they spec how may ft2 per gallon they use? Leggari: "Our floor kits go down at 45 square feet per gallon while our competitors are installing epoxy floor systems at a coverage of 60 to 120 square feet per gallon. When you install epoxy that thin you will never get the dynamic looks, flow, marbleization, and effects that our Metallic Epoxy System creates. " thanks
Thicker coats tend to make the floor look glossier, and more durable in the long run. So all other things being equal thicker coats are better and more expensive because of higher consumption
@@learncoatings-epoxyfloorin9448 thanks for your reply. Do you have any recommendations for the selflevelling coat? I've also seen people install fiberglass mesh on top of tile I think. Are the 2 approaches equivalent in results and durability or different purpose? I'm installing in high traffic res. kitchen over large ceramic tile with grout floor is very solid and level but with grout joints
@@soneeeee4440 yes I have seen fiberglass mesh as well. You would need to prime over that. In general I don't recommend combining many layers of different materials. That is why I would go with a standard self leveling coating. You should get a 100% solids coating and include some quartz to make it nice and bulky. I would recommend you our product but ours is only available in Europe
Can we just put the epoxy straight on the primer? I dont care about the tile grooves...... Again I don't care about grout joints, unless there is a quality or endurance issue connected to the thorough prepping? Bumps, grooves, and joints add character, or at least I'm able to justify my laziness by using that as an excuse to NOT do SO MANY steps.
Yes you can put the epoxy straight on primer.I have in fact some customers that don't care and they want the tiles to show. But you should keep in mind that the joints will tend to collect more dirt as time wears on. Also if certain tiles seem to be protruding, by not filling the joints you could run the risk of getting some epoxy peeling
I agree, thought same thing
Interesting and very knowledgable guy shame the sound quality is awful
thanks for the comment, but I am surprised that you found the sound awful
So bsically don't epoxy over tile. Thanx!
correct! unless you are willing to grind, prime, level the area and then apply the final coat
@@learncoatings-epoxyfloorin9448 if I sand the tile but not level the flooring is that ok?
Hilarious ...
Filling the joints with grout😂😂😂 3:47 Do not listen to this guy, this advice is terrible. The only way to do this is to use a advent of calcium aluminate cement technology in self leveling concrete. Thats it.