Each year, thousands of Arizona residents email or call Rosie Romero’s radio show with questions about everything from preventing fires in their chimneys to getting rid of tree roots invading their sewer system. His goal is to provide answers that suit the specific lifestyle wherever someone lives in Arizona.
Q: I have about 200 square feet of ceramic tile flooring that I want to replace. Is there anything that I can lay on top of it without removing the old tile first?
A: If the old flooring is absolutely solid with no cracks on it, you may be able to put something very thin on top. However, it would be very difficult to put more tile or anything that’s very thick on top of the old flooring. The thresholds at doorways could end up about a half-inch taller than the flooring in adjoining rooms. You might have to trim all your doors to get them to open and close over the thicker flooring. You might even have trouble getting your current dishwasher out if you ever need to install a new one. It’s not impossible, of course, but sometimes it becomes harder to leave the tile where it is than it is to take it out.
For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. An Arizona home building and remodeling industry expert for 25 years, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning Rosie on the House radio program, heard locally from 8-11 a.m. on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson and KGVY-AM (1080) and -FM (100.7) in Green Valley. Call 888-767-4348.
