Prepare the subfloor so it is clean, dry, flat, and fully stable before laying ceramic tile.

Start by removing all old flooring materials, adhesives, staples, and debris and then sweep and vacuum the surface until no dust remains. Measure the flatness using a straight edge that spans at least six feet and mark any gaps greater than one quarter inch which indicate low spots that need leveling. For minor dips, use a polymer-modified thinset as a patch or a floor-leveling compound applied per manufacturer instructions, and for larger depressions or damaged areas cut out and replace sections of the subfloor with new plywood or oriented strand board fastened every six inches along edges and every eight inches in the field. If the subfloor is plywood over joists ensure the panels are at least five eighths inch thick and that the joist spacing is no wider than sixteen inches on center to prevent flex, and add blocking between joists or a second layer of plywood glued and screwed with staggered joints when needed to achieve rigidity. Install a cement board or an uncoupling membrane where moisture, movement, or inadequate stiffness is a concern, fastening cement board with corrosion resistant screws and sealing seams with alkali resistant mesh tape and thinset, or roll out and bond the membrane to the substrate following the material directions. Always allow new concrete slabs to cure a minimum of twenty eight days and check moisture with a calcium chloride test or relative humidity probe; if moisture is above manufacturer limits install a vapor mitigation system or use an appropriate waterproof membrane.

Common mistakes include proceeding without verifying flatness which leads to lippage and cracking; fix this by measuring across the entire floor, mark low and high spots and level or grind as required until within one quarter inch over six feet. Another frequent error is insufficient stiffness causing deflection from foot traffic or joist movement; correct this by reinforcing joists, adding a second layer of plywood with glue and screws, or installing cement backer board properly over a rigid substrate. Overlooking substrate moisture is a third issue that ruins thinset bond and causes tiles to lift; prevent this by testing moisture, choosing a moisture tolerant thinset and membrane, and not installing tile until moisture levels meet the system specifications.

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