QA

Question: How To Lay Backer Board On Plywood

Can you put backer board over plywood?

When you come up against plywood subfloors in the bathroom or other areas of the home, a cement-based backer board must be installed on top of the wood. This provides the tile with a proper installation surface to bond with, offering you the lifetime guarantee that a good tile installation will always provide.

Do you have to use thinset under backer board?

Using thinset under cement board is a commonly skipped step amongst many contractors. However, many manufacturers including, both Durock and Hardiebacker not only recommend that you use thinset under their backerboard, but they specify it and will void the warranty on their product if it’s not used.

Can you lay tile directly onto plywood?

Tile can be laid on plywood. But do not install tile directly on the plywood subfloor itself. Use an intervening layer of a sheet of thinner plywood.

How do you attach cement board to wood?

Drill a small hole in one end of a scrap of wood, attach it to the cement board at the center of the circle, screwing through the cement board into the work surface below. Then screw in a “cutter” screw where you want the circle to be scored, for example, 2 in. from the center for a 4-in. hole.

How do I attach cement backer board to plywood?

Position each piece of backer board in the thin-set, press in place, and attach using special backer board screws on the spacing recommended by the backer board manufacturer. Cover the joints in the backer board with fiberglass tape embedded in thin-set adhesive and allow to set before tiling.

Can I just screw down cement board?

Screw and Joints Do not use drywall screws as they are not recommended to be used to hold the backer board in place. All of your backer board pieces should be cut before they are placed on​ the floor. It is important to highlight that screws shall not be installed all the way down to the floor joists.

How thick should thinset be under Backerboard?

How much thickness will thinset add? The thin set under the backer board may account for about 1/16″. The bond coat for the tiles about 3/32 – 1/8″. Your best bet is to use 1/4″ which should end up being 5/16″, standard thickness tiles can average about 3/8″ installed, plus or minus.

Can you install cement board without thinset?

Installing cement board over a concrete subfloor. Not only is thinset a critical component underneath cement board but the other critical component is the fasteners. And you won’t have the fasteners if you are trying to install it over concrete.

Do I need to seal plywood before tiling?

This expansion gap should be filled with a silicone sealant to prevent it from being filled with tile adhesive when fixing your tiles. Before fixing your plywood overlay, ensure the reverse and edges of the boards have been sealed using BAL Bond SBR neat, as this reduces water permeability.

How do you lay tile on a wood subfloor?

How to Install Tile Over a Wood Subfloor Use a cordless drill to screw cement backer board to a plywood subfloor. Setting tile on cement backer board with spacers used to align the tile. Trimming the bottom of a door casing with a jamb saw so the tile will fit under it.

Do you have to tape backer board seams?

For tile backer boards such as Durock, Wonderboard, Hardiebacker, Permabase, and others the seams between the board need to be treated with 2-inch alkali-resistant mesh tape. It helps to make the walls that are to be tile more monolithic.

What do you do with a gap between tub and cement board?

Ideally, you would leave a 1/8 inch gap which would then have the sealant applied to it. Either stopping the cement board above the tub flange or alternately shimming it out and dropping it down near the tub would both be good options.

Does backer board go under shower pan?

The wallboard must be installed 1/8 inch above the shower pan. If the shower pan is not in place, the wallboard height must be guessed, which can lead to inaccuracies and an expansion gap that is too large or too small.

Do you have to mortar under cement board?

Spread Mortar Use thin-set mortar when installing cement backerboard. Thin-set dries slowly, allowing you to fix and readjust backerboard sheets as needed. (Thin-set mortar ingredients are cement, fine sand and a water retaining agent. It’s used to bond ceramic or porcelain tile and cement backerboard.).

How long before you can walk on backer board?

However, after you mount the backer board to the floor you simply have to seal the seams with mortar and wait until the mortar dries. This is normally 12 hours but may be up to 24 hours in some cases. After the mortar is dry the backer board is ready to receive the mortar for the tile.

Do you need to use RedGard over cement board?

You really don’t need the RedGard, but the more protection the betterso go for it. And yes, you can do the boards beforehand. But, hit the filled seams & screws (your weak points) as soon as a panel is ready to give it some time to setup. You’ll have to wait for the fills to dry or at least setup anyway.

What goes under Backerboard?

Because cement board can be used either for floors or walls, the surface below the cement board will vary: Flooring: For ceramic tile floors, the cement board usually rests on a plywood subfloor (minimum 5/8-inch-thick exterior-grade plywood or OSB).

What kind of Thinset goes under cement board?

An unmodified thinset (Masterblend) is fine between the Hardi and the subfloor. Tara, The reason for the layer of thinset between the cement board and the subfloor is to fill the voids/gaps between the two. It’ll keep the cement board from moving up and down.

Can you use Liquid Nails on cement board?

Can I use liquid nails or glue with HardieBacker® cement board? No. ”Liquid Nails” is not a bonding mortar. It is a structural adhesive generally used to bond the subfloor to the floor joists just prior to nailing.

What size notched trowel for Backerboard?

mortar or dry-set mortar mixed with latex additive that is suitable for bonding cement backer board to plywood subfloor, with 1/4″ square-notched trowel for mortar, 5/32″ V-notched trowel for Type 1 organic adhesive. Place cement board with joints staggered from subfloor joints.

How do you lay tile on a wood floor?

When tiling a wooden floor, always use a flexible tile adhesive and grout to reduce the risk of cracking. To apply grout, use a rubber float to push the paste all the way down into the tile joints, then use a slightly damp sponge to gently wipe over the joints for a smooth finish.

Can you tile over OSB board?

Can you lay tile over an OSB subfloor? 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.