Ceramic Floor Tile Backer Board

Ceramic tile backer board also called cement board or tile backer is a rigid panel material that installs over wood framing much like drywall.

Ceramic floor tile backer board.

Make sure to tape the seams and corners of the backer board according the manufacturer recommendations. Whenever you re laying tile on a wood subfloor you need to first install cement backerboard to prevent leaks and water damage. When installing a ceramic tile floor on a concrete subfloor you don t have to worry about flexing as long as the concrete slab is at least 1 1 8 inch thick which most slabs are. Membrane faced board only.

Here s how to choose the best tile backer board for your project. This is the industry standard most preferred by construction pros when installing ceramic or porcelain tile backer board comes in four foot by eight foot and three foot by five. Backer board is everything that drywall is not. Georgia pacific s densshield is one such product.

Backer board installs to a subfloor with a layer of thinset. But that s pretty much where the similarity ends. 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. Both layers together can add another 1 8 inch to the finished floor.

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. 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. The facing serves as an integrated waterproofing membrane so you don t need to install a separate layer of plastic behind the tile backer or a sheet membrane over the backer.

It s made primarily with cement and sand and it has no paper that can deteriorate or promote mold growth if it gets wet. Made of cement and reinforced on the top and bottom with fiberglass this waterproof backer board is generally used for tiled shower surrounds and floors in wet areas. Doesn t deteriorate when wet. Tile needs to be installed on a backer board to keep the assembly stiff otherwise the assembly will flex at the grout joints allowing water to seep behind the tile and rot the substructure.

One type of tile backer board is made with a water resistant facing on both sides of the board.