Hardiebacker or plywood for bathroom?

[Fordy81]

I know the general consensus is 12mm ply on the floorboards before tiling, but I'm concerned about raising the floor by an inch or so with the tiles and adhesive.

Would 6mm hardiebacker be suitable? Is this stuff any good? I'd never heard of it before but a friend recommended it.

Thanks very much

 

[AdamCH]

6mm Hardie Backer is made for this and will do the job much better than ply. Make sure you fix it with a cement based adhesive (something like Weber Rapid) use a 6mm notched trowel and galvanised screws.

Make sure there's no bounce in the floors before you start though.

By the way. There are some silly prices around for hardie backer. Don't pay more than £8.50 a board - http://www.insulationexpress.co.uk/...EZ-GRID-6mm-for-Floors-(HardieBacker-250).htm

 

[Fordy81]

6mm Hardie Backer is made for this and will do the job much better than ply. Make sure you fix it with a cement based adhesive (something like Weber Rapid) use a 6mm notched trowel and galvanised screws.

Make sure there's no bounce in the floors before you start though.

By the way. There are some silly prices around for hardie backer. Don't pay more than £8.50 a board - http://www.insulationexpress.co.uk/...6mm-for-Floors-(HardieBacker-250).htm[/QUOTE]

Thanks for that Adam, that's brilliant stuff.

So I don't just fix it down with screws, I need to use the adhesive too?

When you say no bounce, you mean absolutely solid? Think I'm gonna have to put some noggins in or something.

Blimey, was gonna get it from Topps at £15 a pop. Thanks

 

[AdamCH]

You use tile adhesive and screws. Installation instructions from http://www.jameshardie.co.uk/installation.

No bounce means little vertical movement. Too much flex and the tile grout will crack or worst case tiles will come loose/crack. You won't get 100% no flex with a timber joist floor but make it as solid as you can - noggins may help depending on the floor constriction.

 

[AdamCH]

Blimey, was gonna get it from Topps at £15 a pop. Thanks

Topps tiles are thieving b****ds.

 

[SparrowHawk99]

I'm in the process of doing my first shower and I used 12mm ply and I applied two coats of BAL waterproofer beforehand. Shower tanking kits are very dear, there is Aquaseal waterproofer which I've seen is good and around £20 but I couldn't find anything in the main shops and merchants that wasn't less than £50 !! except the BAL stuff. I couldn't wait for the aquaseal to arrive from mail order. Next time I will use hardibacker and it's definitely better stuff, to late for me to rip out and start this one again, so something for next time

 

[3DGuy]

I'm in the process of doing my first shower and I used 12mm ply and I applied two coats of BAL waterproofer beforehand. Shower tanking kits are very dear, there is Aquaseal waterproofer which I've seen is good and around £20 but I couldn't find anything in the main shops and merchants that wasn't less than £50 !! except the BAL stuff. I couldn't wait for the aquaseal to arrive from mail order. Next time I will use hardibacker and it's definitely better stuff, to late for me to rip out and start this one again, so something for next time

I can vouch for the Aquaseal ones on amazon. I used 2kits. Was great stuff, takes a few days to do though. Put the primer on, then the joints, then first coat, wait 8 hours, then next coat then wait antoher 8 hours, did this over a couple of days leaving over night. then tiled a few weeks later but could do after the second 8-10 hours I believe. £32 per kit posted. for 4.5sqm kits. You can get a 7.5sqm kit for around £45.

 

[AdamCH]

I'm in the process of doing my first shower and I used 12mm ply and I applied two coats of BAL waterproofer beforehand. Shower tanking kits are very dear, there is Aquaseal waterproofer which I've seen is good and around £20 but I couldn't find anything in the main shops and merchants that wasn't less than £50 !! except the BAL stuff. I couldn't wait for the aquaseal to arrive from mail order. Next time I will use hardibacker and it's definitely better stuff, to late for me to rip out and start this one again, so something for next time

Hardier backer isn't waterproof - it still needs tanking if its in a shower areas.

Weber and Ardex do good liquid taking kits.

Alternatively use Marmox / Wedi instead of Hardie. It's nicer to handle, easier to cut, carries more tile weight and it's waterproof so doesn't need tanking.

 

[SparrowHawk99]

I'm in the process of doing my first shower and I used 12mm ply and I applied two coats of BAL waterproofer beforehand. Shower tanking kits are very dear, there is Aquaseal waterproofer which I've seen is good and around £20 but I couldn't find anything in the main shops and merchants that wasn't less than £50 !! except the BAL stuff. I couldn't wait for the aquaseal to arrive from mail order. Next time I will use hardibacker and it's definitely better stuff, to late for me to rip out and start this one again, so something for next time

Hardier backer isn't waterproof - it still needs tanking if its in a shower areas.

Weber and Ardex do good liquid taking kits.

Alternatively use Marmox / Wedi instead of Hardie. It's nicer to handle, easier to cut, carries more tile weight and it's waterproof so doesn't need tanking.

Thanks for the tips Adam.

In my situation I constructed a shower room no bigger than around 6m2 floor area which includes a shower, basin and toilet. The cost of ply though is staggering, it really is. I think I paid going on £35 or thereabout, for one sheet of 8x4 and not knowing any better I boarded the walls top to bottom with ply. I think I used 4 sheets in total