Home Repair and Paint Guide

... If you took your time and made sure everything is flat and plumb, the tile installation should go smoothly with a very satisfying result. ... Cement backer board is a product that goes behind ceramic tile. It comes in all different types from cement to specialized gypsum core products that are faced with fiberglass. Cement board provides a very stable surface for ceramic tile. It is thin and installs easily with basic hand tools. The surface provides a high level of grip for tile adhesive. For a top quality ceramic tile job, you need to be sure the backer board is securely attached to the substrate and is flat and level. For walls, this means that there are no bows in the cement board and the edges are attached over, and supported by, the studs. Don’t leave an edge “hanging” - in other words, not supported from behind. On floors, the cement board is attached to the sub-floor material. Make sure the floor is solid and does not flex under load. This is especially true for kitchens where large appliances are installed. Refrigerators are especially problematic because they are rolled into place, heavy, and occasionally moved so the floor can be cleaned. Cement board can be cut with a circular saw driving an abrasive blade, but that creates a ton of dust and can damage the saw motor. It’s better to score the backer board with a hand tool that has a carbide tip. Make several passes along the cut line, and then apply pressure to the other side of the cement board along the scored line. It usually snaps the backer board in two along the scribed line. Cement backer board can be screwed or nailed to the wood framing ...