How To Install Backer Board To Concrete Floor

The plywood adds stiffness and stability to the floor.

How to install backer board to concrete floor.

You are only cutting through the fiberglass mesh on the surface. Notched trowel and use the notched edge to comb the mortar. Do a dry run and lay the backerboard down to fully cover the area you plan to tile. Use a chalk line to mark the dimension of the backer board sheets onto the floor.

Using the trowel spread adhesive and ridge it with the notched side of the trowel. Add a layer of 1 2 in. Measure and cut the cement board to fit in around the whole sheets. Screws every 6 in.

There is no need to install backer board on a concrete substrate ceramic tile can be applied right over concrete provided the surface is flat smooth and free of significant cracks. The backerboard should completely cover the subfloor joints. With the plywood in place install the backer board as you normally would. Precut and fit all the cement board and then lift all of the cement boards out.

Spread the mortar to about 3 16 thickness. Cement board screws spaced every 4 in. For highly wet areas such as showers and bathtub surrounds cement board typically is attached directly over the wall studs and the studs may be covered with an intervening moisture membrane. Bc plywood over the old subfloor using construction adhesive and driving 1 1 4 in.

Embed the cement board and screw it to the underlayment with special 1 1 4 in. Lay the backer board according to the manufacturer s instructions. Plan the placement of the cement backerboard sheets. Using a notched trowel apply a leveling bed of thinset mortar over the subfloor and embed the backer board sheets into the adhesive.

Mark the cut on the cement board using the straight edge and pencil. Leave 1 8 inch between sheets and cuts. Plan so the joints in the backerboard won t line up with the joints in the subfloor. Then spread thinset mortar with the flat side of a 1 4 in.

Remember that it is best when joints in the backer board are not aligned with the joints in the subfloor. Add more mortar as necessary to fill sunken areas in. The various brands of cement board such as hardiebacker durock denshield and wonderboard have become a standard tile backer material for nearly all ceramic porcelain and stone tiles for floor wall and countertop applications.