Proper subfloor preparation is the foundation for durable tile in a laundry room.

Start by removing all existing flooring, adhesive and debris down to the subfloor so you can inspect the surface directly. If the subfloor is plywood check for soft spots by walking the room and pressing with your foot; any deflection more than a quarter of an inch over a two foot span means reinforcement is required. Pull up any staples and nails then sand or plane high spots and fill low spots with a polymer-modified underlayment or floor patch that is rated for tile; follow cure times exactly. For plywood over joists fasten the plywood with corrosion resistant screws every six inches at edges and eight inches in the field to eliminate movement that cracks grout and tiles. If the subfloor is concrete test for moisture using a calcium chloride test or a reliable humidity probe and if moisture exceeds manufacturer limits install a bonded waterproofing membrane or a crack isolation membrane before thinset. When transitioning from wood to concrete or when the laundry room will have heavy appliances install a water resistant cement backer board over the plywood using the appropriate thinset and screws recommended by the backer board maker and tape and thinset the joints so the surface becomes dimensionally stable and water tolerant.

Common problems start with trapped adhesive or residual vinyl that prevents flat contact and causes tiles to hollow and break, so scrape and sand to achieve full contact. Another frequent issue is movement in the subfloor because fasteners were skipped or joists were undersized, the fix is to add blocking between joists and use screws instead of nails to lock the plywood down. Moisture related failures occur when the concrete is damp or laundry appliances leak; always perform a moisture test and use a waterproofing membrane or water resistant backer board and slope the floor slightly to drains if applicable.

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