Cement Board Necessary Tile Floor

The primary benefit of cement board is that it doesn t break down or expand or warp if it gets wet.

Cement board necessary tile floor. It has to be rock solid before you lay the 1 2 in. Manufacturers also recommend bonding cement board to floors with a 1 4 inch polymer modified thinset coating. However these are the five that stood out in my unofficial memory as being the most common. If it is vinyl tile glued over a concrete slab you can clean the tile and adhere the tile directly to the vinyl.

Most importantly cement backer board contributes to a longer lasting more durable tile installation with no chance of backing board rot and a reduced chance of rot with the underlying wall studs or floor joists. Prepare a solid squeak free subfloor one of the keys to a long lasting tile installation is the underlying subfloor. To install cement board on floors cement board manufacturers mandate a 5 8 inch plywood subfloor or osb underlayment. It depends on the sub surface if it is a concrete slab then no but if it is a plywood decking yes.

If you do so eventually it will crack. The floor needs to meet minimum requirements for tile before any tile backer board is installed. If it is a planked floor then you would want to install the cement board. Whether you re laying down a new tile floor or installing a shower you may use a sheathing material such as backerboard.

This is the industry standard most preferred by construction pros when installing ceramic or porcelain tile. You have to remove the osb and put down high rigidity plywood then a membrane then a cement backer board or use a wood subfloor with a full mortar bed. However you still need an underlayment to isolate the tiles from the concrete subfloor and prevent cracks from telescoping through. Cement backer board is an inexpensive convenient building material that makes tiling flooring and countertop projects go faster and look better in the end.

You cannot put tile on osb because it is not rigid enough. They also require a 3 4 inch subfloor where tile size exceeds 12 inches. Cement board is a type of underlayment that is now standard for most tile installations but particularly for floor tile. Backer board comes in four foot by eight foot and three foot by five foot rigid panels.

Although most backerboards currently available won t fall apart when exposed to moisture and are somewhat water resistant they aren t waterproof. This is a distinct advantage over plywood and drywall. Whatever your subfloor is made of be sure it s squeak free before you install the cement board.