Can I install luxury vinyl plank over existing tile in my Calgary kitchen?

Yes, you can install LVP directly over existing tile in most Calgary kitchens, and it is actually one of the most common renovation scenarios local flooring installers handle. Installing over tile saves the significant cost and mess of tile demolition — but there are specific conditions that must be met for it to work properly.

The critical factor is grout line depth. If your existing tile has deep grout lines — anything more than about 2 to 3mm below the tile surface — those voids can telegraph through the LVP over time, creating visible depressions and causing the click-lock joints to flex and eventually fail. Shallow grout lines on larger format tiles (12x12 or bigger) are generally not a problem, especially with a rigid SPC core LVP that bridges minor imperfections well. However, if you have small mosaic tiles, deeply recessed grout, or cracked and crumbling grout, you will need to either fill the grout lines with a floor patch compound or apply a thin skim coat of self-levelling compound over the entire tile surface before installing the LVP. This adds roughly $1.50 to $3 per square foot but ensures a perfectly smooth substrate.

Check that the tile surface is flat and level. The standard requirement for floating LVP installation is a subfloor flat to within 3mm over a 1.8-metre span. Lay a long straightedge or level across the tile in multiple directions and look for humps, dips, or lippage between tiles. Any tile that is cracked, loose, or rocking must be repaired — either re-adhered with thinset or removed and filled. A single loose tile under LVP will create a hollow spot that clicks annoyingly with every step.

Clean the tile thoroughly before installation. Kitchen tile accumulates years of grease, cooking residue, and cleaning product buildup that can affect adhesion of glue-down LVP or create a slippery surface under floating LVP. A good scrub with TSP (trisodium phosphate) solution followed by thorough drying is the standard preparation.

Height transition is the main practical concern. Adding LVP over existing tile raises your kitchen floor by the thickness of the new product — typically 4 to 6mm. This means you will need transition strips at every doorway where the kitchen meets adjacent rooms, and you may need to undercut door casings and trim the bottoms of doors. In older Calgary homes where the kitchen tile already sits slightly higher than the adjoining hallway or living room floor, this added height can create an awkward step-up. Measure carefully before committing.

One important note for pre-1980s Calgary homes: if your existing tile is the old 9x9-inch format or sits on black mastic adhesive, do not remove it without testing for asbestos first. This is actually a scenario where installing LVP over the tile is the safest and most cost-effective approach — encapsulating the old tile rather than disturbing it. Alberta Occupational Health and Safety regulations govern asbestos handling, and professional abatement if needed can cost $5 to $15 per square foot.

Installing LVP over tile in a standard Calgary kitchen of 100 to 150 square feet typically runs $500 to $1,200 installed, not including any grout filling or levelling work. Browse flooring installers experienced with over-tile installations through the Calgary Construction Network directory at calgaryconstructionnetwork.com/directory?trade=flooring.