Underlayment For Tile Over Concrete

Tile underlayment must provide solid support so the tile and grout won t crack when walked on.

Underlayment for tile over concrete.

Underlayment in a tile project can mean the difference between a project that lasts for years and one you have to redo because an unexpected crack develops in your concrete slab. Tile floors remain a popular choice especially for bathrooms entryways and other places a water resistant surface is desired. Yet this application does make sense since concrete is heavy solid and is typically thought of as an unbending uncompromising material. I m putting ceramic tile flooring in my kitchen and live on a 10 year old ground level concrete slab.

However you still need an underlayment to isolate the tiles from the concrete subfloor and prevent cracks from telescoping through. Ceramic and porcelain tile are so frequently installed at or above grade level on a cement board underlayment or directly on plywood that it almost seems novel to install tile directly on concrete. Most tile installation experts consider that underlayment is like an insurance policy. Made of lightweight polyethylene the membrane is only 1 8 thick and can be cut easily with a.

If you re installing tile over an existing concrete pad or on a traditional mortar bed cement board would be redundant. When installing a tile floor a layer of cement backer board is usually put down over a plywood subfloor to provide a firm stable surface. It is generically called cement board or backer board or it can also be referred to by one of the common brand names such as densshield hardiebacker and wonderboard. Do i need to put any type of underlayment or vapor barrier underneath it.

Concrete backer board durock and wonderboard which is the standard material for tile underlayment. The impressive variety of tile styles shapes and colors allows you to customize your design. The most popular underlay for this purpose is known by its brand name. The following backer boards are commonly used for tile flooring in wet or dry areas over wood subfloors.

Concrete backer board has a solid concrete core and both sides are faced with fiberglass. A waterproof underlayment membrane like ditra from schluter systems can be substituted for backer board. Tape over holes and cracks in the wood subfloor or slab before pouring on the self leveling tile underlayment to keep it from seeping through and leaving indentations.