Do I Need Cement Board For Kitchen Floor Tile

Never install new tiles over existing tiles or onto an unprotected wood or plywood floor.

Do i need cement board for kitchen 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. It s typically available in 1 2 in. Thick 3 x 5 ft. How to install tile backer board.

Cement board should never be counted on to stiffen up your floor. For flooring the backer board should be installed over a 5 8 inch thick osb or plywood base. Cement board cement board is the most durable trouble free tile backer for tub surrounds showers floors and all other wet areas. Unlike wood or drywall sub surfaces cement backerboard will not rot warp or grow mold and mildew when exposed to water.

This is a distinct advantage over plywood and drywall. Cement board also provides an additional layer over a plywood or particleboard subfloor adding stiffness to the tile installation to help prevent cracks. Half inch cement backer board is ideal for most tiling jobs including walls floors countertops and ceilings. Wood regular drywall and even green board have organic elements which will degrade in high moisture environments.

However these are the five that stood out in my unofficial memory as being the most common. The floor needs to meet minimum requirements for tile before any tile backer board is installed. Cement board is a type of underlayment that is now standard for most tile installations but particularly for floor tile. These materials do not work because you need a cementitious base one that has the qualities of cement and masonry cousins of tile.

The primary benefit of cement board is that it doesn t break down or expand or warp if it gets wet. Whenever you re laying tile on a wood subfloor you need to first install cement backerboard to prevent leaks and water damage. For countertops use 3 4 inch plywood beneath the backer board.