Sep 30 2015 by matthew stock.
Tile on concrete basement wall.
Hard materials like tile and concrete tend to outperform soft materials like carpet in basements.
Solid hardwood even though it is a hard material does not work well in basements because it is a 100 percent organic material.
Installing tile directly on concrete.
The most common approach to waterproofing an existing home is to install a drain tile system on the interior of the home.
However make sure that the surface is smooth and flat before doing anything.
Cut the membrane so it s 1 1 2 times the width of your tiles.
Laying down tiles on a concrete wall is not much different than laying tiles on drywall.
Then remove the tape.
Then prime the concrete see photo 2 with the recommended solution consult the membrane manufacturer s literature.
Inorganic materials work better in basements than organic materials.
Don t seal the gap between basement wall and floor to keep out water.
Ceramic and porcelain tile are so frequently installed at or above grade level on a cement board underlayment or directly on plywood that it almost seems novel to install tile directly on concrete.
You can install the tiles on one side of the line in a step like pattern then.
Let the primer dry and then apply the membrane photos 3 and 4.
Tile concrete and vinyl are all inorganic materials.
Yet this application does make sense since concrete is heavy solid and is typically thought of as an unbending uncompromising material.
One of the most common places to find water in a residential basement is in a puddle right next to the wall.
Skip this step and we guarantee your new tile will crack right over the cracks in the concrete.
Tape a one foot by one foot square of plastic sheeting plastic kitchen wrap will do to the concrete wall in your basement with duct tape and leave it in place for 24 hours.
For drywall covered walls scrape loose paint or wallpaper including the glue away from the wall.
Before applying the waterproofing membrane or tiles cover window and door trim to avoid splatter.
Tile is available in many different sizes and styles and the price range is equally broad.
You may also use floor tiles on a concrete wall if you don t like to use wall tiles.
Installing a tile floor in all or part of your basement lets you have some fun with design while still quickly covering up existing concrete floors.
This doesn t happen because the wall itself is leaking water or because the basement floor has low points around the edges.
However if a basement is fully finished or if somebody is living down there in a basement apartment then installing the drain tile system on the exterior might be the only option.
Then new walls are built on the inside of drain so the original basement walls are.