Wall Tile Backer Board Needed

Membrane faced board only.

Wall tile backer board needed.

The industry standard is to use 1 2 inch thick backer board on wall tile installations such as a tub surround. Plywood and osb substrates can warp and mold with water damage but tile backer board will do neither. Score the board with a utility knife then cut it using a jig saw with a carbide blade. You ve probably heard of hardiebacker tile backer board.

If needed cut the backerboard to fit in small spaces or around obstructions. To cut a backer board mark the board score it with a knife and snap it along the cut. 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. Ardex liquid backer board is an example of a self leveler that doesn t need reinforcement.

Secondly once the self leveler is dry you can adhere tile directly to it. Custom s fiber reinforced levelquick is another. Fiber cement board and cement board are closely related. It s hard flat and incredibly stable.

One type of tile backer board is made with a water resistant facing on both sides of the board. During that discussion we had talked about adding a 1 4 drywall layer over. Doesn t deteriorate when wet. Here s how to choose the best tile backer board for your project.

Georgia pacific s densshield is one such product. Whether it s a wall floor or countertop tile installation using the right substrate is crucial for preventing cracks and breaks in the tile and grout. Backer board is the best substrate for tile. It s a sort of gray beige colored board and is available at any hardware box store.

Measure the work area and cut your boards to fit. Hardibacker is the best known fiber cement board fiber cement board. You don t need to use a backer board in the entire bathroom just in the wet shower area. Do a dry run and lay the backerboard down to fully cover the area you plan to tile.

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. My contractor has told me that there is no need to put backer board on the wall for a tile backsplash in the kitchen. 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. The backerboard should completely cover the subfloor joints.