Is Backer Board Required For Floor Tile

Cement backer board is often used as a tile base on plywood or osb subfloor.

Is backer board required for floor tile.

Cement board is a cement backerboard designed for use with floors and countertops. Cement backer board on concrete as a subfloor or underlayment is usually not recommended or needed. Half inch cement backer board is ideal for most tiling jobs including walls floors countertops and ceilings. Installing tile raises the surface level of the floor.

Cement board will also work as a countertop backerboard and underlayment for tile granite and other stone surfaces. Install a cement based backer board following the manufacturer s instructions. How to install tile backer board. James hardie hardiebacker 1 4 in.

Backer board is also used under floor tile when there s a wood sub floor. Cement board is james hardie hardiebacker 1 4 in. Tile flooring is water resistant and durable when combined with backer board which is impervious to moisture and helps create a flat base. If you have a larger area to cover with the underfloor heating then installing backer board is necessary to prevent the floor giving way.

Manufactured veneer stone is another use for cement backer board. 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. 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.

Use a polymer modified thin set a type of mortar to attach the backer board to the subfloor. This includes bathroom floors and any other tile flooring in your house what builders call the wet areas. Make sure to tape the seams and corners of the backer board according the manufacturer recommendations. Works under interior floors to provide a solid foundation for tile vinyl wood and other flooring.

Tile backer boards can be used with underfloor heating systems and are preferable to xps boards which are much less able to bear weight and can only be used in small areas. It is used on flooring installations as a means of creating a stable and easier to work with subfloor. 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. For countertops use 3 4 inch plywood beneath the backer board.

Backerboard or cement board comes in sheets much like drywall and is used in a couple of ways. 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. First changes in humidity make solid wood shrink swell and cup more than plywood.