Is Backer Board Required For Floor Tile

Tile flooring is water resistant and durable when combined with backer board which is impervious to moisture and helps create a flat base.

Is backer board required for floor tile.

Backerboard or cement board comes in sheets much like drywall and is used in a couple of ways. This provides a solid surface under the tile that prevents flexing that could lead to cracking. This includes bathroom floors and any other tile flooring in your house what builders call the wet areas. Backer board is also used under floor tile when there s a wood sub floor.

Cement backer board is often used as a tile base on plywood or osb subfloor. In most cases you can apply tile directly to the concrete. James hardie hardiebacker 1 4 in. 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.

Half inch cement backer board is ideal for most tiling jobs including walls floors countertops and ceilings. It is used on flooring installations as a means of creating a stable and easier to work with subfloor. Installing tile raises the surface level of the floor. Cement board is a cement backerboard designed for use with floors and countertops.

How to install tile backer board. Use a polymer modified thin set a type of mortar to attach the backer board to the subfloor. Works under interior floors to provide a solid foundation for tile vinyl wood and other flooring. First changes in humidity make solid wood shrink swell and cup more than plywood.

Install a cement based backer board following the manufacturer s instructions. Make sure to tape the seams and corners of the backer board according the manufacturer recommendations. Cement board is james hardie hardiebacker 1 4 in. 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.

For countertops use 3 4 inch plywood beneath the backer board. Second the strength of wood boards isn t always consistent. For flooring the backer board should be installed over a 5 8 inch thick osb or plywood 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.

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