Tile Over Plywood Vs Cement Board

The primary benefit of cement board is that it doesn t break down or expand or warp if it gets wet.

Tile over plywood vs cement board.

Instead of laying tile on a plywood subfloor it s better to lay a cement board on top of the plywood subfloor first. Screws secure the cement board to the wall studs. While i prefer using 1 2 cement backer board over a plywood subfloor you may be able to get by with 1 4 backer board instead. A 3 4 inch plywood subfloor on a joist structure with 24 inch spacing needs the extra thickness of cementboard or the floor will flex and the tiles will crack.

While most floor tile these days is installed onto a layer of cement board or similar backerboard it is possible to lay tile directly over plywood. A number of different types of substrate are used for tile including plywood. But a number of precautions must be taken to ensure a successful installation. When the tile is laid on top of a plywood subfloor the plywood will expand over the years.

The tile runs from our utility room through the kitchen hall bathroom and foyer. Tile is laid onto the cement board with thinset mortar or mastic. Plywood is porous and not designed for use with most of today s latex based thinset mortars. As a result the grout lines and the tiles themselves can crack and become damaged.

They were supposed to rip out the plywood put down hardie board and then tile. This is a distinct advantage over plywood and drywall. The best argument when determining whether to use plywood or cement board under tile is in the adhesive process. For ceramic tile floors the cement board usually rests on a plywood subfloor minimum 5 8 inch thick exterior grade plywood or osb.

Uncoupling membranes aren t recommended for tiles smaller than 2 inches square and should not be used when covering old hardwood flooring due to adhesion problems. Then the cement board is installed on top of the plastic sheeting. Ok so we had 603 square feet of porcelain tile installed through the first floor of our home. In this highly convenient inexpensive and popular application a moisture barrier of 4 or 6 mil thick plastic is installed directly over the wall studs.

Cement board also provides an additional layer over a plywood or particleboard subfloor adding stiffness to the tile installation to help prevent cracks. In addition to this tile can not properly adhere to wood the way it does to concrete. Cement backerboard is designed specifically for this use.