Laying Backboard For Sub Floor Tile

Lay down inch hardy backer board leaving 1 8 inch gaps between and inch around the.

Laying backboard for sub floor tile.

If you re installing backer board over an existing subfloor 1 4 inch is sufficient. Learn how to install backer board before installing a ceramic tile floor. Learn how to replace the underlayment in a kitchen with these simple steps by the experts. If the subfloor doesn t have enough stability you can usually but not always remedy the situation by installing cement backer board also called cementboard.

Unlike wood or drywall sub surfaces cement backerboard will not rot warp or grow mold and mildew when exposed to water. Cement based backer board. While i prefer using 1 2 cement backer board over a plywood subfloor you may be able to get by with 1 4 backer board instead. How to level a floor.

Installing tile over a wood subfloor. Never install new tiles over existing tiles or onto an unprotected wood or plywood floor. First changes in humidity make solid wood shrink swell and cup more than plywood. The polymer modified thin set provides additional strength and helps.

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. It is generically called cement board or backer board or it can also be referred to by one of the common brand names such as densshield hardiebacker and wonderboard. Luckily leveling the floor is an easy process. Trimming the bottom of a door casing with a jamb saw so the tile will fit under it.

The subfloor under the tile should be at least 1 1 8 thick with a minimum of 5 8 thick exterior grade plywood topped by 1 2 cement backer board. How to install backer board. Apply un modified thin set on top of the plywood. Install a cement based backer board following the manufacturer s instructions.

Cement fiber or similarly reinforced backer board comes in standard 1 4 inch and 1 2 inch thicknesses. Even if you use a waterproof underlayment membrane the floor will still be either 1 4 or 1 2 higher than the subfloor plus the thickness of the tile and adhesive. How to replace underlayment in a kitchen. This provides a solid surface under the tile that prevents flexing that could lead to cracking.

Second the strength of wood boards isn t always consistent. Now largely regarded as the very best underlayment for ceramic tile in any application floors walls and countertops cement based backer board goes by many names. Use a polymer modified thin set a type of mortar to attach the backer board to the subfloor. Whenever you re laying tile on a wood subfloor you need to first install cement backerboard to prevent leaks and water damage.

Lay down inch exterior plywood the opposite direction and screw to the inch plywood but not the 2 3 s.