The trouble is that thinset generally requires a textured surface to bond at.
Laying tile over vinyl tile.
Laying tile over vinyl flooring on a concrete subfloor.
As with laying tile over vinyl as long as the subfloor and joists provide a firm foundation the linoleum is well glued down in good shape and clean.
This isn t possible with every flooring material but it s often possible to install ceramic porcelain or stone tile over resilient flooring including standard sheet vinyl vinyl tile or linoleum.
When installing new stone ceramic or porcelain tiles over a vinyl tile subfloor thinset is definitely the way to go.
Once the tile is leveled off your next step is to remove the toilet so that the floor can be laid under it not cut around it.
Apply thin set adhesive directly to the existing vinyl floor.
To acclimate place the open boxes of tile in the room where they ll be installed for at least 48 hours or per the product recommendations.
Vinyl tile expands and contracts over time.
After we decided that demoing the existing tile flooring was not an option my next task was finding a click and lock vinyl flooring product that was thick enough for use over tile floor with no potential risk for telegraphing issues telegraphing is when the vinyl flooring begins to show imperfections in the subfloor or grout lines from below the surface.
You can lay vinyl over tile if the tile surface is smooth and flat.
Also follow any product specific instructions for installation temperature ranges.
You should be able to lay tile or marble over the linoleum.
Check to make sure the vinyl is in good condition and firmly glued to the concrete subfloor.
So where feasible it makes sense to install the new flooring directly over the old without removing the old flooring.
Of course a layer of cement backer board is always a good idea to provide a more stable surface and aid in adhesion if it doesn.