In short: SPC flooring can go over tiles that are flat, firm and dry, after deep grout lines are filled and loose tiles fixed, but not in showers or on outdoor tiles. Excel Deco on Moi Avenue, Nairobi supplies and fits SPC at KSh 2,200 to KSh 2,900 per sqm across Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos and Kajiado.

How to lay SPC over tiles

1. Check the tiles. Tap each tile. Hollow or loose ones must be fixed or removed.
2. Check flatness. Lay a long straight edge across the floor. Fill dips and grind high spots.
3. Fill grout lines. Deep or wide grout lines can show through, so fill them with a levelling compound.
4. Clean and dry. Sweep and mop, then let the floor dry fully.
5. Lay the planks. Leave a small gap at the walls, click the planks together and fit skirting to cover the gap.
6. Trim the doors. If doors catch, trim the bottom edge.

Check your tiles in ten minutes

You do not need a fundi to know if your tiles are ready. Grab a coin, a long straight edge and a torch.

1. Tap test. Tap every few tiles with the coin. A hollow sound means the tile has come loose from the floor. Mark it.
2. Straight edge test. Lay a 2 metre straight edge across the floor in several directions. Look for gaps underneath. Small gaps are fine. A deep dip needs filling.
3. Crack check. Shine the torch low across the floor. Cracks and raised edges stand out.
4. Damp check. Look at the grout near outside walls and the bathroom. Dark, soft grout means moisture.
5. Grout depth. Wide, deep grout lines should be filled so they do not print through.

Fix the problems you found, then follow the SPC installation steps.

Door clearance and thresholds

SPC over tiles raises the floor a few millimetres, more if you add underlay. Plan for it before fitting day.

• Doors. Open every door over the old floor. If the gap underneath is tight, the door may need trimming at the bottom.
• Thresholds. Where SPC meets a tiled bathroom, use a threshold strip so there is no trip edge.
• Kitchen appliances. A fridge or cooker set into a gap may sit tighter. Measure the space before fitting.
• Skirting. Old tile skirting can stay. A slim beading covers the expansion gap neatly.

Do a quick walk round with a tape measure before fitting day. Note the gap under each door and the space around the fridge and cooker. If the gap under a door is very tight, plan to take it off its hinges and trim it once the floor is in. It takes a fundi minutes and saves a scraped floor.

Cost worked out: a two bedroom flat in Kilimani

Take a flat with a 5 by 4 metre living room, two 3.5 by 3 metre bedrooms and a 4 sqm corridor.

• Living room: 20 sqm. Bedrooms: 2 x 10.5 = 21 sqm. Corridor: 4 sqm.
• Total: 45 sqm. Add 8 percent: 45 x 1.08 = 48.6 sqm.
• 4mm at KSh 2,200: KSh 106,920
• 5mm at KSh 2,500: KSh 121,500
• 6mm at KSh 2,900: KSh 140,940

Fitting is quoted on WhatsApp. Laying over tiles saves the noise, dust and cost of breaking them out, which neighbours in a block of flats will thank you for. To fine tune your quantity, use how many boxes of SPC you need.

When to lift the tiles instead

Sometimes laying over tiles is the wrong call. Lift the tiles or choose another floor when:

• Many tiles are hollow or broken across the room.
• The floor stays damp, as on some ground floors.
• The area is a shower or wet room.
• The tiles are outside, on a balcony or patio.
• Door clearance is so tight that every door must be cut a lot.

Comparing the two options fully? Read SPC flooring vs tiles.

In many Nairobi flats, only a few loose tiles need fixing and the rest of the floor is fine for SPC.

Want to see it fitted before you buy?

Real jobs filmed on site by our team. Tap play and watch how the work is done.

Want the same in your space? Chat on WhatsApp

Shop the products on this page

Herringbone SPC FlooringKSh 2,799SPC Flooring Click LockKSh 2,200Commercial Carpet Tiles, Office & High Traffic Modular FlooringKSh 2,499Peel and Stick Vinyl Planks and TilesKSh 1,250

Questions buyers ask

Is SPC over tiles a good idea?

Yes in most dry rooms. It saves the cost and mess of breaking out tiles.

Will grout lines show through SPC?

Deep grout lines can. Fill them first.

Does SPC need underlay over tiles?

Many SPC planks come with underlay attached. Do not add a thick extra layer.

Can SPC go over terrazzo?

Yes if it is flat and firm.

Will SPC over tiles sound hollow?

Not if the tiles are flat and firm. A hollow sound usually comes from a dip under the plank, so fill low spots and use underlay where needed.

Can a tenant lay SPC over the landlord’s tiles?

Yes, with the landlord’s go ahead. SPC uses no glue, so it can be lifted later and the tiles stay as they were.

Do I need to remove the tile skirting?

No, it can usually stay. A slim beading along the bottom covers the expansion gap neatly.

Shop and read next

• SPC flooring
• SPC vs tiles
• How many boxes of SPC
• Kitchen flooring