To attach tile to concrete, there are three ways to do it, with one method being the preferred choice: installing the tile with an intervening layer of uncoupling membrane. A second method is to install a CBU or cement board on the concrete, then the tile on top of that.

You can lay tile over painted concrete floors, but the adhesive isn’t always reliable. If you choose to try anyway, remove the paint, grind the concrete, or resurface the floor first to ensure that the adhesive holds. This requires sanding, power washing, paint strippers, or soda blasting.