Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - Tiling a bathroom, ? about subfloor and hardie backer

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Fubar411
09-13-04, 06:35 AM
Hello everyone, long time lurker here. I am putting down tile in a bathroom that had some really cheap carpeting in it. The house is about 5 years old, if that helps. I have already removed the carpeting and pad, and all those %#$ carpet strips.

My question is, should I put thinset/mortor between the plywood subfloor and my hardie backer board? The HD/Lowes people say it may cause swelling as the plywood absorbs the moisture. The books say to do it. Any help would be appreciated, even if just a link to how to do it right.

Thanks,
Rob

homebild
09-13-04, 04:51 PM
Hello everyone, long time lurker here. I am putting down tile in a bathroom that had some really cheap carpeting in it. The house is about 5 years old, if that helps. I have already removed the carpeting and pad, and all those %#$ carpet strips.

My question is, should I put thinset/mortor between the plywood subfloor and my hardie backer board? The HD/Lowes people say it may cause swelling as the plywood absorbs the moisture. The books say to do it. Any help would be appreciated, even if just a link to how to do it right.

Thanks,
Rob


Yes, you need to install thinset mortar between the Hardiebacker and the plywood subfloor before installing the HardieBacker and screwing it down.

The thinset will even out the floor eliminating any voids under the HardieBacker and the plywood, eliminate squeeks, and provide a more durable finish to the floor.

Alternately, you wish to consider something altogther different than HardieBacker at all.

Schlutter Systems makes its 'Ditra' tile membrane which is a dimpled rubber material that simply gets rolled over thinset on the plywood, then a layer of thinset placed over it:

http://www.schluter.com/english/products/2002/sectionf/overview-f/section-f.html

Ditra is sold thru Home Depot (at least in my region) and is a much simpler, easier, less labor intensive, though not cheaper tile substrate than HardieBacker.
Fubar411
09-13-04, 07:03 PM
I was about 80% sure I needed to do the thinset. What kind should I use, given that the Lowes guy said that my plywood would swell and warp from the moisture of thinset. Do I need something special, other than to use a 1/4 trough?

Thank you so much for your help, I want this to look good. I am on home improvement probation from my wife. :rolleyes: