Shower Backer Board Cement Vs Concrete Wall

In most cases you can apply tile directly to the concrete.

Shower backer board cement vs concrete wall.

The smaller dimensions of cement board make the installation of it on large walls more difficult but cement board panels fit vertically in 3 foot wide showers or horizontally behind a standard 5 foot bathtub. Wonderboard is used specifically. Screws secure the cement board to the wall studs. When installed properly they will give you many many years of durable shower construction.

Cement backer board is often used as a tile base on plywood or osb subfloor. The name backer board comes from its use as a subsurface for tile installation especially in showers and tub enclosures. 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. Installing cement backerboard is one of the more popular choices for a shower wall substrate.

Wonderboard is a type of cement board used for tiling in wet places especially bathrooms. I have been using various types of 1 2 cement board on tub and shower walls and 1 4 fiber cement boards on bathrroom floors with 1 8 inch gap. The core of these boards is made up of a combination of cement and concrete that will not absorb any water and therefore will undergo no damage even if exposed directly to water. Then the cement board is installed on top of the plastic sheeting.

These materials bridge the gap between expense and effectiveness. Cement board and plastic sheeting. Cement board is porous so grout and mortar adhere to it well. Cement backerboards include hardiebacker durock fiberboard wonderboard and similar products.

Drywall panels fit between wall studs spaced 16 inches or 24 inches apart. Easier to cut and fasten than cement board. Cement backer board on concrete as a subfloor or underlayment is usually not recommended or needed. There are other brand names of polystyrene backerboard as well as other materials to choose from including cement backerboard.

When doing floors i use 1 4 x 14 notched trowel with thinset over the sub floor. All of these backerboard options have advantages and disadvantages. Kerdi board by schlüter is one brand name of polystyrene backerboard for tile. Fiberglass mats irritate bare skin.

Can t support all types of floor tile see product specification sheet. Cement board is easily cut with a hand saw or a power saw. Will soften if water seeps through joints or gets behind the waterproof surface. Backer board cement board comparison review written by fred daues on january 4 2013 in wedi shower systems this review was done to test the performance of 3 different cement boards for ceramic tile installation.

It can be nailed or screwed into almost any material including cinderblock brick and concrete. Lighter in weight than cement board.