Laying tile is a good way to increase your home's equity and attractiveness, but it needs to be done properly so the tiles will lay flat. One of the best ways to achieve this is to use backerboard. Fastener selection for attaching the backerboard depends on what kind you are using and where you are installing it.
Types of Backerboard
There are three main types of backerboard: greenboard, fiber cement and cement board. Greenboard is a type of drywall with moisture-resistant liner paper. Fiber cement boards are gypsum boards that have been reinforced with fiber. Cement boards come in two basic types: fiber reinforced and unreinforced. Many of these products come in different thicknesses depending on the intended use.
Types of Fasteners
Which product you use will help determine what type of fastener is correct. Fiber cement and cement board screws are steel with special coatings that resist corrosion. They also have special tips to make starting the screw without predrilling easier and thread patterns designed to maximize pullout resistance.
Galvanized or polymer-coated nails or staples can be used on countertops and vinyl or resilient flooring.
Greenboard is drywall with a special cover, so you can use regular drywall screws. But greenboard isn't approved for use in all areas.
Length of Fastener
The length of the required fastener is partially determined by what the project is. Floors and walls frequently have to go over subfloors or drywall, so a minimum of 1 1/4 inches is recommended.
Countertops get a shorter, 3/4-inch screw because they don't have people walking on them or gravity pulling them off a wall. In addition, you don't want the screw tip sticking so far into the cabinet that it will injure someone reaching in to get something.
Other Considerations
The screws that you need are generally found near the backerboard in the home improvement store. On the label, you will see what kind of board they are designed to attach to and the length of the screw.
You will need to use quite a few fasteners because the maximum distance between screws is 8 inches and many projects have a 3- or 4-inch spacing pattern. Many of the fiber cement backerboard products have a tiling and nailing grid marked on them to make installation easier.
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