Do I Need Cement Board For Kitchen Floor Tile

Cement board should never be counted on to stiffen up your floor.

Do i need cement board for kitchen floor tile. Cement board cement board is the most durable trouble free tile backer for tub surrounds showers floors and all other wet areas. Thick 3 x 5 ft. Whenever you re laying tile on a wood subfloor you need to first install cement backerboard to prevent leaks and water damage. It s typically available in 1 2 in.

The floor needs to meet minimum requirements for tile before any tile backer board is installed. Wood regular drywall and even green board have organic elements which will degrade in high moisture environments. Correctly installed cement board provides a very stable base that s permanently bound to the tile with thin set mortar so your new tile floor will last a very long time. Cement board also provides an additional layer over a plywood or particleboard subfloor adding stiffness to the tile installation to help prevent cracks.

Cement board is a type of underlayment that is now standard for most tile installations but particularly for floor tile. Backer board comes in four foot by eight foot and three foot by five foot rigid panels that contain a combination of cement fiberglass and sometimes crushed glass particles. For countertops use 3 4 inch plywood beneath the backer board. How to install tile backer board.

Because plywood expands and contracts beneath the ceramic tile grout and tile failure loose tiles and cracked crumbling grout is just a matter of time. These materials do not work because you need a cementitious base one that has the qualities of cement and masonry cousins of tile. This is a distinct advantage over plywood and drywall. Unlike wood or drywall sub surfaces cement backerboard will not rot warp or grow mold and mildew when exposed to water.

For flooring the backer board should be installed over a 5 8 inch thick osb or plywood base. Its made from cement and sand and is reinforced by fiberglass mats on both sides so it s impervious to water. However these are the five that stood out in my unofficial memory as being the most common.