How To Install Backer Board For Ceramic Tile

First changes in humidity make solid wood shrink swell and cup more than plywood.

How to install backer board for ceramic tile.

Cement board commonly sold under trade names such as durock hardiebacker and wonderboard is now the standard underlayment used for ceramic porcelain or stone tile laid with thinset mortar adhesive cement board is used for most floor tile and has all but replaced plywood and drywall backer materials for wall tile applications in wet areas like showers and tub surrounds. Second the strength of wood boards isn t always consistent. Installing over existing vinyl. The tile will break and crack if you do not use the backer board.

Then divide that number by 15 as most. Never install new tiles over existing tiles or onto an unprotected wood or plywood floor. Backer board is everything that drywall is not. It s made primarily with cement and sand and it has no paper that can deteriorate or promote mold growth if it gets wet.

The boards come in 3 x 5 foot sheets and are available where tile and grout are sold. Here are the basics of how to install ceramic tile backer board effectively. Multiply the length and the width of the room to get the exact square footage. But that s pretty much where the similarity ends.

Unlike wood or drywall sub surfaces cement backerboard will not rot warp or grow mold and mildew when exposed to water. A flexing subfloor results in cracked tiles and grout and a lot of headaches. Ceramic tile backer board also called cement board or tile backer is a rigid panel material that installs over wood framing much like drywall. Step 1 estimate.

Use a tape measure to determine the exact dimensions of the room. How to install wall tile over backer board. Most tile manufacturers recommend installing a cement backer board instead of any other type of underlayment such as plywood. Backer board is installed as underlayment for the tiles to prevent moisture from damaging the walls and to create a level stable surface to support the.

Installing ceramic tile over vinyl or linoleum surfaces can be more complicated than expected and probably should be avoided whenever possible.