Cement Backer Board Over Hardwood Floors

If the hardwood flooring is composed of narrow boards with a very smooth flat surface you could leave the flooring in place and screw cement backer board down on top of it before applying the tile.

Cement backer board over hardwood floors. The backer board comes in different sizes and you will pick the right one depending on the type of floor you are installing. According to backer board manufacturers and tile setters installing backer board directly over an old solid wood subfloor is risky for a couple of reasons. Unlike wood or drywall sub surfaces cement backerboard will not rot warp or grow mold and mildew when exposed to water. Concrete is usually a good subfloor on which to install ceramic tile.

Installing over wood. An alternative to using backer board over subfloors prior to tiling. Floor tiles should be installed over smooth flat surfaces. However a homeowner may need to raise the floor slightly before installing tile and lack the experience or time to install a mortar bed.

The best approach would be to remove the wood flooring and screw down a layer of 5 8 or thicker plywood followed by a layer of 1 2 cement. This guide will teach you how to properly lay cement backerboard and use mortar to secure and level your subfloor before installing tile. To install ceramic tile over wood the wood surface must be structurally sound enough to support the weight of the tile. Check with wedi schluter laticrete goboard or whichever manufacturer to see how they want their product installed over a concrete subfloor.

Backer board over hardwood may last a bit longer but i wouldn t do it. Never install new tiles over existing tiles or onto an unprotected wood or plywood floor. The main floor is actually the second floor of the house so it s built from 3 4 inch tongue and groove plywood o. We tore out all the hardwood and put in 3 4 t g plywood glued mudded 1 4 fiberock and then tile.

We just finished replacing a floor in which they put of all things ditra over hardwood and within 5 years the tiles were cracking and grout lines opening up. This can be beneficial if you are wanting to insulate concrete from an electric floor heating system above it. Second the strength of wood boards isn t always consistent. The other is foam backer board which is ok to install over concrete.

Placing cement boards over the concrete subfloor is an excellent way to create a solid and smooth subfloor. First changes in humidity make solid wood shrink swell and cup more than plywood.