Installing Your New Ceramic Tiles Over Linoleum

• 1). Take off all existing trim around edges of flooring, including baseboards and edging strips. Remove any bathroom fixtures such as toilets.
  
  
• 2). Clean the existing flooring completely. Do not sand or rough up existing linoleum because many older types contain asbestos that can cause lung damage when particles are released into the air.
  
  
• 3). Lay a sealant in any rooms where moisture may occur, such as bathrooms and kitchens. Lay your tile on the bare surface before applying adhesives to make sure you have enough tiles. Precut any edge tiles or tiles that need to go around pipe fixtures, such as water inlets for toilets or cabinet fixtures. Use a wet saw to make full cuts for edge tiles, and a tile nipper to clip small notches in tiles for fitting the tiles around pipes or corner areas.
  
  
• 4). Pick up tiles and lay a coat of adhesive using a notched trowel so that the surface is grooved to provide suction. Starting at the center of the area, lay out your tile using spacers between each one for the appropriate grout space.
  
  
• 5). Immediately wipe away any adhesive that seeps up over the tile surface. Use a leveler and a mallet to pound in tiles several rows at a time to ensure an even surface.
  
  
• 6). Apply grout to the finished floor and work it in between the tiles with a grout float. Apply a bead of silicone caulking around any pipe fixtures. Reseat removed fixtures, and reinstall trims and edgings.