Is Backer Board Required For Floor Tile

This includes bathroom floors and any other tile flooring in your house what builders call the wet areas.

Is backer board required for floor tile.

Cement board is james hardie hardiebacker 1 4 in. It is also used in shower and tub enclosures or anywhere with significant wetness issues as a means of helping to create a moisture barrier. Backerboard or cement board comes in sheets much like drywall and is used in a couple of ways. In most cases you can apply tile directly to the concrete.

When backer board is selected as a floor tile underlayment and is installed correctly it provides an excellent substrate for tile in kitchens entries foyers bathrooms and more. Backer board is also used under floor tile when there s a wood sub floor. Tile flooring is water resistant and durable when combined with backer board which is impervious to moisture and helps create a flat base. Manufactured veneer stone is another use for cement backer board.

And if you re building a new house or remodeling a kitchen you ll also want to put backer board behind the backsplash. Second the strength of wood boards isn t always consistent. James hardie hardiebacker 1 4 in. Cement backer board on concrete as a subfloor or underlayment is usually not recommended or needed.

For flooring the backer board should be installed over a 5 8 inch thick osb or plywood base. How to install tile backer board. Installing tile raises the surface level of the floor. If you have a larger area to cover with the underfloor heating then installing backer board is necessary to prevent the floor giving way.

Use a polymer modified thin set a type of mortar to attach the backer board to the subfloor. This provides a solid surface under the tile that prevents flexing that could lead to cracking. For countertops use 3 4 inch plywood beneath the backer board. Cement board will also work as a countertop backerboard and underlayment for tile granite and other stone surfaces.

Make sure to tape the seams and corners of the backer board according the manufacturer recommendations. First changes in humidity make solid wood shrink swell and cup more than plywood. Half inch cement backer board is ideal for most tiling jobs including walls floors countertops and ceilings. Install a cement based backer board following the manufacturer s instructions.

Works under interior floors to provide a solid foundation for tile vinyl wood and other flooring. 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. Cement backer board is often used as a tile base on plywood or osb subfloor.