Project Tile III

After clearing out the room, it's time to install the cement backer board.

• This involved some thought and fore sight. You want to make the most of each board, but piece it together in the most simple way possible.
  
• This task is also hard on the knees, back and hands, so wear gloves and knee pads.

Time: 5 hours
Area: 120 SF

Decide where you are going to start. Do a dry run before screwing the board down. Here, our friend Tom has one piece overlapping another piece in order to mark where he's going to cut it easily.


Using a jigsaw (and saw horses below), trim the board to the desire dimensions.


Screw the boards down using the epoxy coated screws for floors. A screw is required every 4-6" in order to ensure that the floor does not flex before you tile. You can't have a floor that flexes; otherwise, the tiles will eventually crank or loosen. Using a circle attachment, they cut a circle through the board for the water line to the fridge.


They did the same thing here for the stove. They did such a nice job going around the doorways. The molding has to be removed.


Here's the finished sub floor! Notice the neat little pieces to fit near the threshold.

Sweep and vacuum again.

Up Next: Tile Time!