Floor prep.

[mozr]

Hi.

I've got 7m2 of bathroom tile to lay (ceramic 305x305mm).

I am looking at how to cover my floorboards, and was looking at Durabase CI.

It does not need tanking, as their is an isolated fitted shower cubicle already installed. But I was going to screw the floorboards down, and use the uncoupling membrane to prevent lateral movement.

Can I put durabse straight onto floorboards with a coat of primer then a single part felixible addy?

If not, would I be better of with hardi backerboard/nomoreply?

I'm trying to get away from the traditional 'marine grade ply' response to every project I do.

Cheers for any advice.

 

[Ian]

Would really advise putting a cement board or similar down first, before your membrane. Remember the membrane will only help to combat lateral movement, your floor still needs to be deflection free for it to do it's job.

 

[mozr]

Cheers Brian.

So do you believe that a cement board would stem lateral movement thus rendering durabase redundant.

Wouldn't cement board and durabase be overkill?

 

[Ian]

For a floor your size and the fact that you are using ceramics, I perhaps wouldn't use a membrane. But it is definitely not overkill, if it fails due to bad prep you will be kicking yourself.

 

[nybor62]

it might help to take some of the floor boards up and put some extra noggins in between the joists to reduce deflection, then the rest as brian as said , better to be right 1st time

 

[mozr]

Thanks for the advice guys. I will get some nomoreply, screws, and glue and set about my task this weekend.

Are we of the opinion then that cement boards do not stop lateral movement, or do not stop it enough when tiling larger areas with 'natural' tiles?