Floorboards and Backerboard.

[Sean Kelly]

I am laying Backerboard for the first time tomorrow morning. I've been through countless sites trying to find info on whether or not I can lay Backerboard onto floorboards (not tongue & groove).

My plan is to cover 5.5sqm of a bathroom floor. The floor seems solid to me. i.e. no squeaks or bounce. I am going to lay the 6mm Backerboard onto Toppfix Rapid Flex then screw down every 8" using Hardibacker screws (while the addy is setting). I'm going to leave a 2mm gap between boards and the walls, and I'm using plasters tape for the joins. For the tile fixing I'm using Bal Rapidflex. Grouting with BAL superflex wide joint grout. I keep reading that I should be laying down ply as well. So now I'm a little confused. Cheers Sean

 

[GazTech]

Sean, Any backerboard overlay for Bal rapid flexi should be no thinner than 10mm. Without using 2 part flexible we cannot offer you a guarantee.......Gaz

 

[grumpygrouter]

The overboarding with ply is strength related in my opinion. If your floor is solid and you just want a good surface to tile onto then why add extra height/cost/time if you don't need it.


If the floor is bouncy however, then maybe you should just ply out properly and forget the backerboard.

 

[White Room]

I've laid the 6mm hardie loads of times on floor boards, Mainly small floors, Your using all the right addy

 

[Spud]

if the flooring boards are 18mm and it is sturdy then you will be fine with the preparation you desciribed in your post

 

[charlie1]

Why dont you just lay 12mm plywood??

Is there a height issue?

 

[Sean Kelly]

Cheers Lads for your quick replies. Gaz, I always want to use the correct methods & materials etc So I asked the guys in Topps and they said I should be using BAL rapidset Flex @ £25.99 a bag. I then read on the forum that this is an expensive way of laying backerboard. So I bought myself a bag of Toppfix Rapidset flex at £16.99. So it Toppfix on the bottom and BAL on the top. Charlie, as its a bathroom I'm doing I wanted to use Backerboard (for it's obvious qualities). Raising the level of the floor by using ply would mean quite a big step up into the bathroom from the landing. Cheers Sean

 

[GazTech]

I wasn't having a go Sean, just stating where you stand with our products, you will probably have absolutely fine no problems at all, but if you do, you know we can't back you as we would normally would do.....Gaz

 

[Sean Kelly]

Gaz, yep, no problem. I really appreciate yours and others advice. The thing is that there are so many products on the market it is sometimes difficult to choose the correct one for the job. Cheers again. Sean

 

[bj F]

I wasn't having a go Sean, just stating where you stand with our products, you will probably have absolutely fine no problems at all, but if you do, you know we can't back you as we would normally would do.....Gaz

Just had a look at this thread and was wondering if it would be ok to use the new super cover adhesive and just add some polymers would this be ok with 6mm hardy.