Do I Need A Sub Floor For Cement Board

The primary benefit of cement board is that it doesn t break down or expand or warp if it gets wet.

Do i need a sub floor for cement board. I plan on thinsetting and screwing cement board to the subfloor then redgard then thin set and tile. Would this calculation get me to the right height compressed thin set on top of sub floor 1 8 cement board 1 2 compressed thin set on top of cement board 1 8. Cement board also provides an additional layer over a plywood or particleboard subfloor adding stiffness to the tile. It depends on the sub surface if it is a concrete slab then no but if it is a plywood decking yes.

Embed the cement board in latex modified thin set mortar the main reason for using thin set between the cement board and the subfloor isn t as much for bonding as it is for even void free cement board support throughout the floor. If it is vinyl tile glued over a concrete slab you can clean the tile and adhere the tile directly to the vinyl. I need to match the height of the existing tile in the bathroom. Precut and fit all the cement board and then lift all of the cement boards out.

This is a distinct advantage over plywood and drywall. Make sure the joists are wide enough for the span and spaced on 16 centers to provide a sturdy floor with no bounce. They skipped putting down the thin set under the cement board even though the installation instruction specify that it is required. Here s the right way to attach cement backer board to a plywood subfloor.

If the subfloor doesn t have enough stability you can usually but not always remedy the situation by installing cement backer board also called cementboard. Apply a supporting bed of mortar or modified thinset to subfloor using a 1 4 square notched trowel. When installing a ceramic tile floor on a concrete subfloor you don t have to worry about flexing as long as the concrete slab is at least 1 1 8 inch thick which most slabs are. This means that tile applied to cement backer board resists cracking and popping loose better than tile applied to a plywood subfloor alone.

Cement board is a type of underlayment that is now standard for most tile installations but particularly for floor tile. The plywood subfloor should be at least 5 8 thick on 16 centers 3 4 preferred and securely attached to the joists preferably with screws. So you would screw that down to. And then once the cement board is down and it s screwed in do i have to put some type of mesh tape to put the boards together and then mortar the tape.

If it is a planked floor then y. It strengthens the floor removes bounce and gives the tile a.