# Mobile Home and Tile Floor



## Garymdavis (Apr 15, 2006)

Hello All,  We were planning to install a ceramic tile entrance way.  The estimator from Home Depot told us our floor was made of particle board and we would have to replace the section with marine plywood.  Is it possible to set some type of backing down instead of tearing up the floor?

Thanks for any help


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## Square Eye (Apr 15, 2006)

Mobile homes are built to be flexible in transit. This reduces over-all damage when moving one. Ceramic tile has no flex. Plywood will reduce the flex in the area of the entrance. Particle board will flex more, hold moisture and turn into a gritty mess that will not support itself. You will be far the better to replace the particle board. Even so, you should expect cracks in the grout lines. It is nearly impossible to eliminate flex and movement in a mobile home.


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## Bud Cline (Apr 15, 2006)

This is true!

Generally speaking mobile homes don't possess the structural criteria suitable for a rigid floor covering such as ceramic tile.  This isn't to say it is never done, heck they even put ceramic tile in high-end motor homes, I know because I have repaired many many many of them over the years.

The partical board would have to be removed totally.  Marine plywood IS NOT necessary, that's just plain stupid and a waste of money but that's the kind of unknowing-information that comes from Home Depots.  

Exterior grade plywood however would be necessary and then a suitable tilebacker (cementboard) on top of that. The absolute minimum is this case would be 3/4" exterior plywood and 1/2" cement board before the tile. Then a modified thinset and a modified grout.  The cement board would also get set into thinset and fastened every four to six inches in all directions.

Then you will have some transition issues (to the rest of the room) and you need to varify that your door will clear the re-elevated flooring and after all of this every time the wind blows the tile and grout could still crack.

In my opinion there are better choices of flooring for a mobile home.


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