Can you apply microcement over existing tiles?

Yes, in many cases you can apply microcement over existing tiles. Its strong adhesion lets it bond directly to a tiled surface, so you can avoid the time-consuming and messy process of stripping the room back. The condition of the tiles is what decides it, so they need to be checked and prepared properly first.

Why microcement can go over tiles

Microcement is a polymer-modified, cement-based coating that adheres to a wide range of substrates, and tile is one of them. Applied at around 2–3 mm, it adds little weight and only a small increase in height, so tiled walls, floors and splashbacks can be resurfaced without demolition.

Avoiding removal has practical benefits. There is no rubble to cart away and far less noise and dust, which can simplify the renovation and reduce construction time and costs.

The tiles effectively become the substrate. Any unevenness, including lippage where one tile edge sits higher than the next, is levelled during preparation and the base coats so the new surface is flat.

What to check before you start

Microcement relies on what is underneath it, so the tiled surface has to be a sound base. Before work is confirmed, these questions are answered on site:

• Are the tiles firmly adhered? Every tile needs to be solidly bonded. Tapping across the surface helps find hollow-sounding, or drummy, tiles.
• Are any tiles cracked? A cracked tile can point to movement in the substrate, not just damage to the tile itself.
• Is the surface stable? If the wall or floor behind the tiles moves, that movement can carry through into the microcement.
• Is it level and clean? The surface needs to be level and free of dirt, grease and residue.
• Is it dry? The substrate needs a humidity level below 5%, and any source of damp has to be resolved.

Hollow, loose or cracked tiles

Isolated drummy or cracked tiles can usually be removed and the area made good, so the surface is solid again. If many tiles are loose, or cracks follow a pattern that suggests the structure is moving, removing the tiles and rebuilding the base is often the safer option.

How the tiles are prepared

Preparation follows the same sequence as any microcement project, with extra attention to the tile surface and the grout joints.

1. Clean and degrease. Tiles in kitchens and bathrooms carry grease, soap residue and cleaning products that can prevent an effective bond, so these are removed completely.
2. Repair. Loose, hollow or cracked tiles are dealt with and the surface is made solid and level.
3. Prime. A primer is applied to support adhesion and seal the surface, then left to dry.
4. Fill and level. The two base layers are trowelled over the tiles, filling the grout joints and levelling the surface so the finish reads as one continuous plane.
5. Refine and seal. The base is sanded, two finer finishing layers are applied, and the surface is sealed and polished.

Each stage needs its own drying time. Our application process explains what happens at every step.

Wall and floor tiles follow the same steps. Floors need extra attention at drains and thresholds, and walls at edges, corners and around tapware.

Planning for the 2–3 mm build-up

Microcement adds only around 2–3 mm, but over tiles that small change is worth planning for, particularly on floors:

• Doors: check that doors still clear the finished floor, especially where the gap is already tight.
• Thresholds: decide how the new surface meets adjoining floors so the transition is neat and does not create a lip.
• Drains and floor wastes: grates and waste fittings need to sit correctly relative to the new surface.
• Fixtures: tapware, toilets, vanities and shower screens may need to be removed and refitted, or carefully detailed around.
• Edges and trims: plan how the finish will stop at skirtings, benchtop edges and existing tile trims.

In kitchens, check that appliances such as dishwashers will still fit beneath the benchtop if the floor under them is being coated. These details are simple to resolve when they are planned early, and harder to fix once work has started.

Bathtubs, benchtops and other surfaces

Tiles are not the only surface microcement can renew. In bathrooms, it can be applied over existing tiles and bathtubs without removing the old material, and in kitchens it can go over tiles and old benchtops.

Each surface is assessed individually. What a bath or benchtop is made of, how firmly it is fixed and whether it flexes all affect suitability. Tile, marble, terrazzo and metal are among the substrates microcement bonds to, while natural wood is not advised.

When tiles should come off first

Going over tiles saves time and mess only when the tiled surface is sound. It is not the right approach when:

• Tiles are widely loose, drummy or breaking up
• The wall or floor behind the tiles is moving, damp or deteriorating
• An existing shower or wet area is leaking, because microcement is a finish, not a waterproofing membrane
• The surface cannot be made stable, level, clean and below 5% humidity
• The height increase cannot be accommodated at doors, drains or thresholds

In these situations, removing the tiles and rebuilding a sound substrate is the more reliable path, and microcement can then be applied to the new surface.

Timing and living with the work

Application typically takes 5–7 days, depending on the size and complexity of the area, with drying time between each layer. Because the tiles stay in place, there is no demolition stage to schedule before work begins.

Once sealed, the surface continues to harden over several weeks. Take care during the first week: use the room gently, avoid dragging heavy items and wipe up water promptly. If the tiled floor is heated, the heating needs to be managed before and after application, as set out in our underfloor heating guide.

Next steps

Take photos of the tiled surfaces, including close-ups of any cracked, stained or hollow-sounding areas, and note whether there is underfloor heating. Send them to us with rough measurements so we can discuss whether your tiles are a suitable base.

If you are still weighing up retiling, compare the options in microcement vs tiles. For wet areas, read is microcement waterproof? and our bathroom renovation guide before planning the rest of the work.