Most tile installations require a carefully prepared surface to which the tiles can adhere. Fiber cement backer board provides just such a surface. As cured cement, it is strong, sturdy, long-lasting and waterproof allowing you to use it as a base for tile, even in moisture-rich environments. The installation process is a simple one. Apply adhesive, stick the boards in place then secure with screws. Once finished you'll have a surface that's suitable for any tile type, reducing many of the troubles that result from unlevel, uneven or damaged surfaces.
Instructions
Wall Mounting Fiber Cement Backer Board
1. Install a water-resistant vapor barrier onto the wall before mounting the backer board into place to protect the wall from moisture. Spread a layer of asphalt mastic along the wall where you're placing the board using the flat of a trowel . Wait 30 minutes for the mastic to begin to set and then cover the adhesive with the 6-mil polyethylene plastic sheeting. Overlap the sheeting on the wall two inches where horizontal rows meet and six inches where they meet vertically. Seal the overlaps with a strip of fiberglass tape to prevent moisture passing through. Cut the sheeting where needed with a utility knife.
2. Locate the wall studs using a stud finder and mark the locations on the plastic with a marker.
3. Cut the backer board to fit between ceiling and floor using a circular saw with a carbide blade to score the board along the cutting line. Cut boards surrounding tubs and showers so that a 1/4-inch gap is left as a joint above the tub or shower pan. The gap prevents water from working its way up the rear of the boards from the wet surface. Leave a gap of 1/8-inch between individual boards to allow for expansion. Snap the boards at the scored line to break it into sections.
4. Mount the boards to the walls using corrosion-resistant screws. Place the boards with the rough side out if later mounting tiles with thinset mortar, place the rough side against the wall if using mastic. Screw the boards directly into the wall studs, placing a screw every six inches down the stud's length. Place a strip of the fiberglass tape along the seams between the boards.
Floor Mounting Fiber Cement Backer Board
5. Measure the dimensions of the boards with measuring tape and then mark their planned locations on the floor using chalk. Arrange the board placement so that the joints of the boards aren't placed aligned with the joints in the floor, and so that joints in adjacent rows are staggered. The best method of staggering rows is to cut the last board in a row and use the cut section as the first board in the adjacent row. Leave a 1/4-inch gap between boards and the walls, and a 1/8-inch gap between the boards themselves.
6. Spread a layer of asphalt mastic along the floor using a 1/4-inch notched trowel in a space only large enough to contain a single board sheet. Tilt the trowel at a 45-degree angle and go over the mastic with the notches to raise ridges in the adhesive.
7. Press the backer board firmly into place onto the mastic. Wipe away any excess adhesive using a damp sponge. Spread enough mastic for the next board in the row and then place that board, continuing the placement process until reaching the end of the row. Cut the last board of the row to fit then begin the next row with the cut end. Continue placing boards in this way until you've covered the entire floor.
8. Secure the boards in place using corrosion-resistant screws. Place the screws through the board perimeter, one screw every eight inches, located about one inch from the board edge.
9. Fill the gaps between the boards with the mastic, using a margin trowel to press the adhesive into place. Overfill the joint slightly and then smooth the top of the mastic to extend the coverage 1 1/2-inches on both sides of the joint. Cover the mastic joint lines with a strip of fiberglass tape, pressing the tape down firmly. Scrape away any excess adhesive that spreads when placing the tape, and then cover the tape with a thin layer of the adhesive, feathering it out to the sides to create a smooth surface from tape to backer board.
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