I would never bid a job like that,if this home builder is willing to stand by it for a few years after completion you might want to check if its time for his medication. John

John,

Thanks for your response. This guy did seem a bit manic. Why exactly is is a bad idea? Is it because the tiles are too heavy? Will they eventually shift or crack due to instability of the subfloor?

Ya Know Ginger,its not a bad idea,,,,,I have been playing with the tile thing for a while that is adding it on the corners or in the middle or around a fire pit. Its not the weight ipe would more weight its framing for the cement board, seeing as how someone might walk on it and all, x 100 for an upstairs project. If the cement board was installed over a wood deck we are back to movement issues, plywood might work but those little bug guys just love that stuff preasure treated or no thats why I am still thinking accent and not the entire floor,,less movement. Idea>>>> this would take perfect weather, install PT pine klin dried 2x6 Tounge & Grouve over 16'' on center joists with counstruction adhesive face fastened with ss screws, over this screw down the cement board with the same glue, use fiberglass web tape on the seams and glue down the tiles with high grade counstruction adhesive the kind that will take to frozen wood, grout in with outdoor stuff,seal the whole thing with tilt up concret sealer. I am thinking this would work all I am waiting for is someone to pay me to try it. John

John,

Very interesting...sounds pretty complex!

Anyway, we decided to skip the ceramic idea. After looking at composite and ipe decks, we fell in love with the ipe and will use it instead. Thanks for your information and opinions!

Hi Lanzrn,

Is your slate tile still doing well? Any regrets, I'm considering doing the exact same thing on 2nd floor deck on a very old and casual beach house - as a cheap, easy and maintenance free plan for an old deck? Did you use any border to keep the tiles in? What type of slate did you use? thanks.

Any response to conrad51 from lanzrn about the slate over a wood deck?

I'm no stranger to deck building (but not a pro) and this is what I did to perfect my deck. I stapled strips of floating- flooring underlayment to each deck board to provide forgiveness in leveling. Then I laid down the ceramic tiles I chose right over the deck boards, being careful to leave a slight gap between tiles for rain water drainage.I finished the job by installing a perimeter of tile to keep the field in check. Six years in, and so far so good!

Sorry, I forgot to invite comments to above entry

Any chance for a few pics? I didn't understand the floating flooring underlayment part. What material did unuse for underlayment. the ceramic laid directly on top of underlayment, yes? Thanks for your response.

bump, Hi Turley, did you see my note above? thanks, Conrad

I really want to hear more from Turley2003. Conrad51, did you do this with your deck?

i am planning to remove my old deck boards (which I plan to use in my pasture) and put down treated 3/4" plywood. I've been told i can put ceramic tile on that and grout it in, but i'm not sure so I plan to put backer board on top of the plywood and then lay the tile and seal the grout. Should I use regular thinset or construction adhesive to adhere the tile? Should I use grout with or without sand? How much grout space should I leave? This is an uncovered outside deck. Will this hold up outside?

Will your deck structure support 3/4" plywood, cement board and tile? You are adding a crap ton of weight.

Hu576353352
Did you build your deck as proposed. I’m in the process of tiling my 1000 sq ft upper deck using the same method. I have a pretty solid deck 4x12 , 6x6 and 2x12 joists With tile on 1 1/8 plywood. Thats a lot of weight. Interesting in hows yours came out.

Forgot the hardi-backer also on the plywood.

I am converting my deck to a screened porch and my husband wants a tile floor. I am concerned with the added weight that our deck structure will need to support it and a new roof. Looking into it, I found that we would need:

1 . plywood subfloor

2. Permabase backerboard

3. Ditra membrane

4. Porcelain tile

Thoughts?

Not understanding why you would need all of that for a covered screened porch? Water intrusion would be at a minimum, so all that would be needed is a membrane (or backerboard) followed by red guard, and tile. I've had this setup for well over a decade with no issues.