Do I Need Cement Board For Tile Floor

If you re working over a wood subfloor cement board is the right choice for your tile base.

Do i need cement board for tile floor.

Cement board is an easily installed diy tile underlayment providing a stable dependable tile setting substrate while eliminating the complicated lath and mortar floating process. Use a polymer modified thin set a type of mortar to attach the backer board to the subfloor. What you need for a tile base. If you can t find them at a home center call tile specialty stores.

These screws have a coating to resist corrosion a special wide head with cutting flutes and hi low threads for a strong grip. Cement board also provides an additional layer over a plywood or particleboard subfloor adding stiffness to the tile. In some cases it may not be feasible and you may need to settle for a thinner floor covering than ceramic tile such as vinyl tiles or laminate planks. Do it yourselfers can use either 1 2 or 1 4 inch cement board in certain applications while other scenarios mandate 1 2 inch board.

If i thinset the cement board down using a 1 4 x 1 4 trowel and screw it every 8 will the thinset end up being 1 8 thick. This is a distinct advantage over plywood and drywall. Cement board screws see fig. If you want to replace an old cracked tile floor or other type of flooring with new ceramic tile it s absolutely imperative that you create a solid setting base for the new tile.

This provides a solid surface under the tile that prevents flexing that could lead to cracking. On top of the 2 6 will be 3 4 subfloor thinset cement board redgard thinset tile. Cement board is a type of underlayment that is now standard for most tile installations but particularly for floor tile. Cement backerboard is a thin layer of concrete with fiberglass mesh on both sides.

It s available in sheets of many sizes with 3 foot by 5 foot sheets being the most common. Whenever you re laying tile on a wood subfloor you need to first install cement backerboard to prevent leaks and water damage. Hardiebacker cement board is made better to install better and perform better. Uncoupling membrane cementboard has replaced a manually applied mortar bed to emerge as the standard underlayment for a tile floor.

I d like to get as close as possible to matching the height of the existing tile. That s why it was named the most preferred brand of backer board by tile installers and contractors according to the 2019 tile and stone report conducted by clearseas research in partnership with the national tile contractors association and tile magazine. The primary benefit of cement board is that it doesn t break down or expand or warp if it gets wet.