FAQs
- Q?If I am planning to tile my floor, do I need to put down a backerboard first?
- A.It depends. If you are tiling on top of a wood subfloor then you should put down a backerboard. If you are tiling on top of concrete, then backerboard is not needed. Just make sure if you have any cracks in the concrete that you treat them before tiling.
- Q?Do I need to thinset under my backerboard?
- A.Yes. Applying thinset underneath your backerboard helps protect you from any voids that may occur from bridging a low spot in your existing floor. Remember to tape all your joints and nail or screw the board every six inches.
- Q?Do I need to use backerboard on my walls?
- A.You should always use a backerboard on a wall that is located in a wet area, such as a shower or tub. NEVER tile to Sheetrock or Greenboard in a wet area.
- Q?How do I know what kind of thinset to use?
- A.What kind of tile you are installing determines what kind of thinset you need. If you are installing a ceramic tile then Custom Building Products’ Versabond Mortar is sufficient. If you are installing a porcelain tile then you should use Porcelain Tile Mortar. When you are installing a natural stone such as travertine you should use a white thinset, so you do not alter the natural color of the tile. Premix thinsets are fine for smaller wall applications, but if you are looking for superior bond strength a true thinset mortar is the way to go.
- Q?How do I know how much thinset to buy?
- A.The coverage on a bag of thinset varies depending on the size of the notched trowel used to spread the thinset. The size of the trowel being used should be determined by the size of the tile being installed. Basically, the bigger the tile the bigger the notch on the trowel should be.
- Q?Should I use sanded or non-sanded grout?
- A.The main factor used in determining what kind of grout to use is the size of the grout joint. If your grout joint is less than 1/8 of an inch then you should use a non-sanded grout. A sanded grout is too thick to properly fill the joint. If your grout joint is 1/8 of an inch or larger you should use a sanded grout. On larger grout joints a non-sanded grout will slump or crack.
- Q?Do I need to seal my tile?
- A.If you have a glazed tile there is no need to seal the tile itself. If you have a natural stone or an unglazed tile then applying a sealer is a good idea.
- Q?Do I need to seal my grout?
- A.With a few exceptions all grout is porous and needs to be sealed in order to help maintain it. Remember the darker the color of the grout, the less it will show dirt.