Ceramic Wall Tile Backer Board

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.

Ceramic wall tile backer board.

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. It s a sort of gray beige colored board and is available at any hardware box store. Fiberock is another popular product in this category. Doesn t deteriorate when wet.

But that s pretty much where the similarity ends. Find backer board at lowe s today. Ceramic tile backer board also called cement board or tile backer is a rigid panel material that installs over wood framing much like drywall. Whenever you re laying tile on a wood subfloor you need to first install cement backerboard to prevent leaks and water damage.

Troweling a perfectly flat bed required great skill but the reward was a tile job that lasted for decades. It s hard flat and incredibly stable. Backer board is everything that drywall is not. It s made primarily with cement and sand and it has no paper that can deteriorate or promote mold growth if it gets wet.

Unlike wood or drywall sub surfaces cement backerboard will not rot warp or grow mold and mildew when exposed to water. You ve probably heard of hardiebacker tile backer board. 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. Plywood and osb substrates can warp and mold with water damage but tile backer board will do neither.

The traditional method of installing ceramic tile called for setting it in a solid mortar bed. Never install new tiles over existing tiles or onto an unprotected wood or plywood floor. Fiber cement board and cement board are closely related. Here s how to choose the best tile backer board for your project.