How To Lay Ceramic Tile On Cement Board

Cement board is a type of underlayment that is now standard for most tile installations but particularly for floor tile.

How to lay ceramic tile on cement board. 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. This provides a solid surface under the tile that prevents flexing that could lead to cracking. The primary benefit of cement board is that it doesn t break down or expand or warp if it gets wet. All the insider information on how to build and waterproof a.

To install ceramic tile over wood the wood surface must be structurally sound enough to support the weight of the tile. Troweling a perfectly flat bed required great skill but the reward was a tile job that lasted for decades. Cement board should never be counted on to stiffen up your floor. Laying cement board is the easiest way to assure a solid durable base for a ceramic tile floor.

Never install new tiles over existing tiles or onto an unprotected wood or plywood floor. Once the cement board is in place you are ready to install the tile. In order to install tile over cement board you will need to first measure the room. The traditional method of installing ceramic tile called for setting it in a solid mortar bed.

This is a distinct advantage over plywood and drywall. In fact this is already assuming that your wood subfloor meets the minimum requirements. Here are the basics of how to install tile over cement board. Whenever you re laying tile on a wood subfloor you need to first install cement backerboard to prevent leaks and water damage.

Use a polymer modified thin set a type of mortar to attach the backer board to the subfloor. Cement board also provides an additional layer over a plywood or particleboard subfloor adding stiffness to the tile. Installing over wood. Chipboard cushioned vinyl flooring particle boards of any type oriented strand board osb interior grade plywood tongue and groove planking and hardwood floors are unsuitable substrates for direct installation of ceramic tile.

Today most professional tile setters back their tile with cement board instead because it offers almost the same durability with a lot less work. Anyone can enjoy the benefits of a cement board shower system if you follow these 3 easy steps. Install a cement based backer board following the manufacturer s instructions. Step 1 measure the area.

For ceramic tile floors the cement board usually rests on a plywood subfloor minimum 5 8 inch thick exterior grade plywood or osb if new ceramic tile is being laid on an existing floor the cement board can usually be laid right over the existing floor finish provided it is in good shape and the extra floor thickness is not a problem. Now there are more ways to screw things up than just these five things. We show you how to install a first class tile base.