Ceramic Floor Tile Backer Board

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.

Ceramic floor tile backer board.

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. 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. 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. 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.

But that s pretty much where the similarity ends. Both layers together can add another 1 8 inch to the finished floor. Backer board installs to a subfloor with a layer of thinset. One type of tile backer board is made with a water resistant facing on both sides of the board.

Georgia pacific s densshield is one such product. 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. Cement backerboard is a thin layer of concrete with fiberglass mesh on both sides.

Whenever you re laying tile on a wood subfloor you need to first install cement backerboard to prevent leaks and water damage. Backer board is everything that drywall is not. It s available in sheets of many sizes with 3 foot by 5 foot sheets being the most common. Another layer is necessary for installing the tiles.

Membrane faced board only. Cement backer board is also called cement board and it s the most commonly used backer board for all manner of ceramic and porcelain tiles. Doesn t deteriorate when wet. Make sure to tape the seams and corners of the backer board according the manufacturer recommendations.

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.