Table of Contents
Can I put tile directly on subfloor?
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.
What subfloor is needed for tile?
Exterior-Grade Plywood Exterior plywood is an acceptable underlayment for tile and is preferred to interior-grade plywoods because the bonding adhesives used are waterproof. If water seeps through the tile installation to the underlayment, it will not cause the wood to swell, as happens with interior-grade plywood.
How thick does the subfloor need to be for tile?
The subfloor under the tile should be at least 1 1/8″ thick, with a minimum of 5/8″ thick exterior grade plywood topped by 1/2″ cement backer board.
Do I need cement board under floor tile?
Whenever you’re laying tile on a wood subfloor, you need to first install cement backer board. You also can’t safely install tile flooring over plywood subfloor or onto an unprotected wood floor. If you did, there’d be a serious risk of rot, water damage, warping and mold. Plus, your tile and grout would likely crack.
Do you need a membrane under tile?
If tile is laid directly on top of concrete, this expansion and contraction will cause stresses that fracture or delaminate the tile. Other less common and more challenging substrates like asphalt and metal require an uncoupling membrane to ensure the tile will adhere to these surfaces.
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.
What is underneath a subfloor?
Underlayment The underlayment material is installed below the floor covering and placed on top of a sub-floor. Under the visible covering, there is a layer made of soft or foam-like materials with a thickness of between 1/4- or 1/2-inch. Some common choices include; foam, hardboard, cork, plywood, and cement board.
Is Ditra better than cement board?
1. Ditra is waterproof, while cement board lets water through but won’t be damaged by it. This may make Ditra a better choice if moisture from below is a concern, such as with some outdoor applications or installations over concrete. Some tile setters also prefer Ditra for its relatively quick installation.
What do you put on subfloor before tiling?
Install a cement backer board to set a good base for your tile and prevent any movement-related cracking of tile or grout. Backer board is screwed down to wood subfloor using specific backer board screws and mortared down with tile adhesive mortar plywood subfloor.
Can you use 1/4 inch cement board on floors?
1/4″ USG Durock® cement board is an ideal substrate for floor and countertop ceramic tile installations. The 1/4″ thickness helps eliminate transition trim when abutting carpet or wood flooring and minimize level variations with other finish materials.
Can you tile over drywall?
You may tile over existing tile, painted or unpainted drywall, plaster and textured walls. However, tiling over tile can add quite a bit of thickness, so make sure your wall can handle the weight. You should not tile over wallpaper, glossy surfaces, lead paint or plywood.
Is 3/4 subfloor enough for tile?
Tile installed over wood floor systems MUST have a minimum of 1-1/4 inches of solid material beneath it. This means you can have a 3/4 inch wood subfloor covered by 1/2 inch plywood, cement board, or approved gypsum fiber underlayment.
How do you prepare a wooden floor for tile?
Tiling over floorboards is possible with the use of plywood or backer boards. In short, a layer of ‘board’ over your floorboards will keep the surface you’re tiling strong and sturdy, and help you minimise any movement from your old floorboards.
Do you have to put a subfloor under tile?
Preparing a subfloor is an essential step for installing floor tile. It provides a level surface that will allow the tiles to properly stay in place. This guide will show you how to prepare your subfloor for a tile installation project to ensure that it’s fit to support ceramic or porcelain tile.
What can I use instead of backer board?
Glass mat gypsum board is a better choice. Sheets of glass mat gypsum are made from water-resistant silicone-treated gypsum, reinforced on both sides by fiberglass mats. DensShield is one common brand. It is easier to cut than cement board, it is mold resistant, and it has a built-in moisture barrier.
Can you use plywood instead of cement board?
Better Adhesion The best argument when determining whether to use plywood or cement board under tile is in the adhesive process. Plywood is porous, and not designed for use with most of today’s latex-based thinset mortars. Cement backerboard is designed specifically for this use.
What do you do with a gap between tub and cement board?
Technically, after the tile is installed over the backer board that gap between it and the tub ledge should be filled with an ASTM C920 sealant (caulking e.g. silicone). Although some say you should have weep holes along this gap so any water behind can weep out into the tub.
What do you put down before tile?
Underlayment is something you put on top of your substrate to prepare it for tiling. The substrate (or subfloor) is the ground, whether it’s made of plywood or cement. Cement board or backer board are the most standard underlayments. They come in various thicknesses for different spaces.
Do I need a vapor barrier under tile flooring?
During patching, most people usually wonder if they would need a moisture barrier under tiles. Well, yes. A moisture barrier should be installed to protect the flooring against moisture or moisture vapor.
