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What you need for a tile base. 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. If you’re working over a wood subfloor, cement board is the right choice for your tile base.
Can you tile a floor without cement board?
As long as a concrete slab is very flat and contains no cracks, tile can be installed directly on top, using thinset as the adhesive, allowing you to skip the backer board layer. If the slab is uneven or cracked, it must first be patched and leveled before tile can be installed.
Do you use cement board for tile floor?
Cement board is a type of underlayment that is now standard for most tile installations, especially for floor tile. The primary benefit of cement board is that it doesn’t break down, expand, or warp if it gets wet.
Do you have to use backer board when tiling a floor?
The safest, most prudent course is to install tile on top of a cement backerboard such as Durock, Wonderboard, or HardieBacker. Cement backerboard is made for tiling. Backerboard does not shrink or expand when it comes into contact with water (mortar and grout both contain water).
What kind of subfloor is needed for ceramic tile?
Exterior-Grade Plywood Exterior plywood is an acceptable underlayment for tile and is preferred to interior-grade plywoods because the bonding adhesives used are waterproof. If water seeps through the tile installation to the underlayment, it will not cause the wood to swell, as happens with interior-grade plywood.
Can you tile straight onto plywood wall?
Under British Standards BS 5385 Part 1, plywood is not a suitable substrate for the direct fixing of wall tiles, therefore when tiling onto walls, a tile backer board is required. However, tiling onto plywood overlaid floors is acceptable under British Standards.
Do you need a moisture barrier under tile?
During patching, most people usually wonder if they would need a moisture barrier under tiles. Well, yes. A moisture barrier should be installed to protect the flooring against moisture or moisture vapor.
What goes under tile floor?
Underlayment is something you put on top of your substrate to prepare it for tiling. The substrate (or subfloor) is the ground, whether it’s made of plywood or cement. Cement board or backer board are the most standard underlayments.
How thick should cement board be under tile floor?
Floors: A 1/4-inch minimum thickness is needed, but thicker panels are also fine. Walls: Use 1/2-inch or 5/8-inch-thick cement board, not 1/4-inch. The extra thickness is needed when spanning the studs and it provides a solid base for the tile.
Do you have to use durock under tile?
In short, tile and grout are not inherently waterproof. Cement backer board is often used as a tile base on plywood or OSB subfloor. Cement backer board on concrete as a subfloor or underlayment is usually not recommended or needed. In most cases, you can apply tile directly to the concrete.
Can I tile directly onto floorboards?
Can you tile on wood floorboards? Good news, yes you can! Tiling over floorboards is possible with the use of plywood or backer boards. Directly tiling onto floorboards isn’t usually recommended as movement beneath tiles could result in unwanted cracks and breakages.
What can I use instead of cement board?
Glass mat gypsum board is a better choice. Sheets of glass mat gypsum are made from water-resistant silicone-treated gypsum, reinforced on both sides by fiberglass mats. DensShield is one common brand. It is easier to cut than cement board, it is mold resistant, and it has a built-in moisture barrier.
Can you lay tiles on a wooden floor?
Tiling on wood. Can you tile on wood? Yes, but because wooden floors naturally bend, bounce and expand, tiles can end up cracking under the pressure if installed incorrectly. Tiling on wood surfaces is all about ensuring there is enough rigidity in the wooden subfloor and selecting the correct flexible tile adhesive.
What is the minimum subfloor thickness for ceramic tile?
The subfloor under the tile should be at least 1 1/8″ thick, with a minimum of 5/8″ thick exterior grade plywood topped by 1/2″ cement backer board.
What kind of plywood do you use for tile subfloor?
Tip: Make sure the subfloor will not deteriorate when it gets wet. Particleboard is not an acceptable subfloor material for tiling projects. Oriented strand board (OSB) and exterior-grade plywood will work if first covered with a latex-modified mortar and a tiling backer board.
Can you lay tile directly on OSB?
You can lay tile over an OSB subfloor, but a membrane should be installed between the subfloor and the tiles to ensure a bond between the tile and the floor is made. Even if you are looking for a new subfloor to install, OSB is inexpensive and can work well with tile.
Do you have to prime plywood before tiling?
The plywood surface will then be the surface to be tiled. So your nice new clean ply floor isn’t so clean anymore and if it’s not prepared properly prior to tiling, the adhesive will just go onto the dirt on the floor and might not stick! This is why it is better to prime it than not to.
Can you glue ceramic tile to plywood?
ANSWER – We normally don’t recommend to bonding to exterior glued plywood (EGP), but it can be done in interior dry applications. I would recommend gluing and screwing a ¼” thick Hardiebacker cementitious board to the plywood and then adhering the ceramic tile with a thin-set dry set mortar that meets ANSI A118.
Is moisture barrier necessary?
When moisture penetrates your flooring, it can cause mold, mildew, and the potential for water damage. A moisture barrier helps control the water vapor’s movement to help protect your floors. Therefore, if you’re installing floors in an area that sees moisture, even a little, a vapor barrier is needed.
Can you tile over a damp floor?
Short Answer: Yes, you can tile a damp basement if it’s rising damp, but it’s very important to use breathable tiles, such as unsealed quarry tiles or natural stone tiles that have been treated with a water-based sealer, such as LTP Mattstone H2O.
Do I need moisture barrier and underlayment?
Mostly concrete subfloors transmit moisture. Concrete is porous and allows moisture to pass through to your basement/room level. If the amount is more than what your underlayment can handle, then yes you will need a moisture barrier. If it doesn’t exceed the amount, then the underlayment can handle the job.
