When tiling with a cementitious-based tile adhesive, prime the face of the board with one coat of BAL Primer – diluted 1:1 by volume of water. No priming is required when using a ready-mixed adhesive such as BAL White Star or BAL All Star.
Can you tile straight onto cement board?
Cement board forms a durable, stable base for tile, and it has no organic materials (unlike drywall, greenboard, or plywood) so it is not prone to mold, rot, shrinkage, or decomposition due to moisture. Ceramic tile laid over cement board is one of the most durable floor or wall surfaces you can install.
Should cement board be primed?
Other than any “raw cement board” you do not need to prime anything. If it is new construction, make sure the backs are primed, and any cuts during installation. If it’s a re-paint, it just needs to be cleaned (lightly pressure washed) beforehand if needed, and top coated with Exterior Duration.
How do you prep cement board for tile?
Quote from the video:
I recommend that you get cement or tape mainly because it sticks to cement board better.
Do you need to PVA cement board before tiling?
Short answer. No, never use PVA to prime a surface before applying tiles. The acetic acid produced when cement and PVA come into contact would render the adhesive and grout useless.
Can you paint directly onto cement board?
It is recommended not to paint cement boards unless they have been thoroughly cleaned, or if they have adhesion problems. The pores in fibrous cement boards, unlike standard cement, absorb the adhesives within the paint, making the finish much more durable than that of standard cement.
How do you waterproof cement board before tiling?
Quote from the video:
Number 30 felt paper or house wrap is a fail-safe drainage plane for behind the backer board. Make sure to overlap the felt to direct water into the tub not into the wall.
Can I tile directly on Hardibacker?
The Hardibacker will be fine to tile straight onto.
Should I wet Hardibacker before tiling?
Wipe the surface of HardieBacker® cement board clean with a damp sponge just prior to adding mastic or mortar. This 2006 forum discussion also seems to anecdotally back up that wetting HardieBacker first is a known “must do”: Hardi is thirsty, thirsty, thirsty.
