A kitchen island can be installed over tile floor.
Tile can be installed around a kitchen island in two basic ways. If the island is new and the tile floor is being newly installed, the best choice is to tile the entire floor and set the island on top of the floor. This will allow you to make any changes to the sub-floor much more easily. Often, it is necessary to beef up the sub-floor to support tiles so that they don't crack later. The second way, covered here, is to tile up to the island cabinet. This may leave a grout line at the cabinet that can crack over time. This crack can be covered with shoe molding but the aesthetic of the cabinet may be changed by the inclusion of the molding.
Instructions
1. Lay a cement board over a plywood sub-floor that is thick enough or supported well enough that it doesn't flex. This means if you walk across the plywood and the floor has a give to it, then that floor will flex under tile and the tile will crack. The plywood should be at least 5/8-inch thick and the cement board a half-inch thick.
2. Attach the cement board to the plywood using corrosion-resistant counter-sink screws. Sink the screws below the board level. Fill the screw holes and any low spots on the floor with a lightweight gypsum-type leveling compound. This can be applied and smoothed using a hand trowel. Allow the compound to dry completely. Drying time will depend on your humidity and temperature.
3. Snap chalk lines in the directions you want to lay the tiles. These will help you keep the tile straight. Position six or eight tile with the plastic grout spacers to check the position and look of your tiles. When you are pleased with your design, remove your sample tiles.
4. Mix thin-set mortar to a consistency similar to cake frosting. Mortar is often mixed in 5-gallon buckets using a mixer attachment that spins on a drill. This will speed up your mixing time and effort. Scoop up thin-set mortar on a notched trowel. Spread the thin-set mortar over the cement board a quarter-inch thick. Bring your trowel back across the thin-set mortar at a 45-degree angle. This will remove about half of the mortar.
5. Butter the backs of your tiles. Buttering is similar to putting butter on toast. Pick up some mortar on your trowel and smear it across the back of the tile. Place the tile in position and rock it slightly to seat it firmly. Use a level in both directions to make sure the tile is flat.
6. Install all of your whole tiles first. Cut tiles to fit around the edges of the island, against the kick plates and around the perimeter of the room using a wet tile saw. These can be rented from most home improvement stores. Small cuts can be made with tile nippers. Tile up to the island cabinet. Try to keep your cuts perfect where they will be the most visible. Allow the mortar to dry for 48 hours.
7. Mix grout in a bucket. Grout the grout lines of the floor by applying grout into the grout openings using a grout float. Press the grout into the gaps as much as you can and then drag the float at a 45-degree angle to remove the excess. It is a good idea to have a second person cleaning the grout off within 15 minutes. Hardened grout is nearly impossible to remove.
8. Wash off excess grout using water and a clean sponge. Keep removing the grout and haze until the tiles look clean. Allow the grout 24 hours to dry. Apply grout sealer in kitchens to prevent grout staining from spills. Caulk between cabinet edges, baseboards and kick plates to create a flexible edge between the tile and the wood. Keep in mind that the wood will expand and contract and that any grout between the two will crack during this process. Install shoe molding with finish nails to cover any gap where the island and the tile meet.
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