Putting Flooring Over Tile, Linoleum, Carpet or Concrete: What Works

Yes, you can often put new flooring over tile. Floating vinyl plank and laminate can go over ceramic tile that is flat, firmly bonded and dry, once deep grout lines are filled. Carpet always comes out, solid hardwood cannot go over tile, and linoleum and concrete depend on moisture, flatness and condition. The height you add also affects doors, appliances and stairs.

Can you put flooring over tile, linoleum, carpet or concrete?

The answer depends on two things: the floor you have and the floor you want. Here is the short version. Always check the new floor's installation instructions too, because the manufacturer's rules decide what voids a warranty.

Nail-down solid hardwood needs a wood subfloor to nail into, so tile or concrete rules it out. Floating floors, which click together and are not fastened to the old floor, are the easiest to put over an existing surface.

Putting flooring over ceramic tile: the checks

Tile makes a hard, stable base when it is in good shape. Check these five things before you commit.

1. Is every tile bonded? Tap each one with a coin or a screwdriver handle. A hollow, drummy sound means the tile is loose. Loose tiles crack or shift under the new floor.
2. Are there cracks? A crack that runs across several tiles may mean the subfloor is moving. It can come back through the new floor.
3. Is it flat? Lay a straightedge across the room. Most floating-floor makers allow only about 3 to 5 mm of dip over 3 m (1/8 to 3/16 inch over 10 feet). Your product's sheet gives the real figure. Tile that is out of tolerance needs levelling, covered in our subfloor levelling post.
4. How deep are the grout lines? Wide, deep lines are common on 1980s and 1990s tile. They can show through thin vinyl as a grid and leave unsupported edges. Fill them with a patching or levelling compound and let it dry.
5. Is the floor dry? Tile on a slab or in a bathroom can hide moisture. Check before you cover it.

If you want a floor of tile on tile instead, read tiling over existing tile. For the bigger prep picture, see subfloor preparation.

Underlay is another gotcha. Many click floors come with a pad attached, and adding a second pad can void the warranty. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Linoleum, sheet vinyl and carpet: what stays and what goes

Putting vinyl plank flooring over linoleum or sheet vinyl

This often works, because old sheet flooring is flat and tough. The conditions are strict. It must be one layer, firmly bonded with no bubbles or lifting edges, and smooth. Textured or embossed patterns can telegraph through thin plank, so use a patching compound or a thicker plank. Cushion-back vinyl is too soft to support a click floor and should come out.

A caution about older resilient floors

Ontario's Ministry of Labour lists vinyl floor tile, asphalt floor tile, vinyl sheet flooring and the mastics used to glue them among suspect asbestos-containing materials, and notes that many asbestos products stayed in use in Ontario until the mid-1980s. Health Canada advises hiring a professional to test before major renovations. If asbestos is found, a qualified removal specialist handles it. Left alone and in good condition, such materials pose little risk, but sanding, cutting or tearing them can release fibres. If you suspect old floor tile or sheet vinyl, do not scrape or grind it. Get it tested and ask whether covering it is acceptable.

Carpet always comes out

Carpet and its pad are soft, hold moisture and dust, and give a floating floor no solid base. Pull the carpet, the underlay and the tack strips. Then check the subfloor underneath: pull staples, fill nail holes, sweep up residue, and look for stains or smells that point to past leaks. Fix what you find before you lay the new floor.

Can you put flooring over concrete?

Yes, and many Ontario basements do. Moisture is the main issue. Concrete in contact with the ground gives off water vapour all year, and a floor laid on top of it can swell, cup, grow mould or lift if that vapour is trapped.

• Test first. The flooring maker names the accepted moisture test and its limit. A sheet of plastic taped to the slab for a day or two is only a rough warning. Read moisture testing before flooring.
• Check flatness. Slabs often have dips near drains and heaving at cracks. Grind high spots and fill low ones.
• Remove coatings. Paint, old adhesive and sealers can stop glue from bonding.
• Choose a method that suits the slab: floating vinyl plank or laminate with the recommended underlay, engineered hardwood floated or glued, or a subfloor panel system under any of them.

Hardwood nailed straight to concrete is not an option. If you want solid wood in a basement, it needs a built-up subfloor, which also costs ceiling height.

Height, doors and appliances: what the extra layer changes

Any floor laid over an old one raises the walking surface. Common finished thicknesses are roughly 5 to 8 mm for rigid vinyl plank, 7 to 12 mm for laminate and 10 to 20 mm for engineered hardwood, plus underlay and any levelling. Your product sheet has the true figure. Then check:

• Doors: they must still swing over the new height. Undercutting is easy for hollow interior doors.
• Appliances: a dishwasher or range that sat on the old floor may not slide out, and an under-counter fridge may not fit.
• Toilets: the flange sits lower relative to the floor, so the toilet may need an extension ring or a plumber's adjustment.
• Transitions: where the new floor meets carpet, tile or stairs, thresholds must bridge the height. See floor transition strips.
• Stairs: raising a landing changes the first and last riser, and the building code limits how much risers may differ. Ask your municipality's building department before you finish a stair landing.
• Baseboards and heat registers: trim may need to come off and go back, and registers need extensions.

Older Ontario houses often have layers already: carpet over lino over a plywood underlayment over the original boards. Each extra layer adds height and weight, and a layer you cannot see can hide a rotted subfloor.

Cover it or rip it out? When the old floor has to go

Cover it when the old floor is one layer, flat, dry and tight, and the new height works with doors and appliances. You skip dust, noise, disposal and the risk of damaging the subfloor. Removing glued tile can tear up the board beneath it.

Remove it when:

• Tiles are loose, hollow or cracked from movement.
• The floor is out of flat and cannot be levelled in place.
• There is moisture, mould, odour or past water damage.
• It is carpet, cushion vinyl or a stack of layers.
• The new floor must be glued or nailed to a bare base.
• The extra height will not clear doors, appliances or stairs.

If you are not sure, a site visit with a straightedge and a moisture reading answers it. D&D Interior Services can look at the floor and give a free written quote for flooring installation that separates visible finishes from plumbing, electrical and structural work.

Flooring over an existing floor: common questions

Can you put vinyl plank flooring over linoleum?

Often yes, if the linoleum or sheet vinyl is one layer, firmly stuck down, smooth and not cushioned. Fill textured patterns so they do not telegraph through. If the floor is old and might contain asbestos, do not scrape or sand it. Have it tested first, and follow the plank maker's instructions.

Can you put laminate over ceramic tile?

Yes, in most cases, if the tile is flat, fully bonded and dry, and wide grout lines are filled with a levelling compound. Use the underlay the laminate maker specifies. A drummy tile, a crack that moves or a dip over the allowed tolerance means you should fix or remove the tile first.

Can you put hardwood flooring over tile?

Solid hardwood cannot be nailed to tile, so it needs the tile removed, or a wood subfloor built over it. Some engineered hardwood can float or be glued over tile if the maker's instructions allow it and the tile is flat and bonded. Check the specific product and keep the warranty requirements in writing.

How much height does new flooring add?

It depends on the product. Rigid vinyl plank is often roughly 5 to 8 mm, laminate 7 to 12 mm and engineered hardwood 10 to 20 mm, plus underlay and any levelling compound. Measure door clearance, appliance openings, transitions and stair risers against the product's real thickness before you order.

Devon Moore, Operations Lead Co-Founder & Operations Lead — D&D Interior Services

Devon Moore is the co-founder and Operations Lead at D&D Interior Services, delivering kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations, flooring, and interior upgrades across Waterloo Region.