Wonderboard is a concrete support with glass mesh used as an underlayment for tile installation. It is suitable for bathrooms, countertops, and exterior decking. It comes in quarter and half-inch thicknesses and is treated with MoldGard technology. Hardibacker is an alternative with different sizes and no mesh. Backerboard eliminates the need for a thick layer of mortar when laying tiles.
Wonderboard® is a support formed by small pieces of concrete pressed between two sheets of glass mesh. The most common use of Wonderboard® is as an underlayment when installing tile. It is particularly suitable for laying under tiles on bathroom floors and walls. While it is not water repellent, as it is made from concrete, any moisture reaching it will not degrade the material or sink into the subfloor. Custom Building Products, the manufacturer of Wonderboard®, further reduces moisture-related problems by treating the product with their trademarked MoldGard® technology.
Wonderboard®’s most common application is under tile floors and walls in bathrooms, but it is also used under tile countertops and for exterior decking. Wonderboard® is available in quarter (0.6 cm) and half inch (1.3 cm) thicknesses. It is 36 inches (91.4 cm) by 40 inches (101.6 cm). It is very heavy and can be difficult to maneuver in the confined spaces of a bathroom. For subfloor installation, choose the heaviest half-inch thickness. For benchtop installation, the lighter quarter-inch gauge is a better choice.
Wonderboard® is available at home improvement stores and stores that sell flooring and tile materials. Another option is Hardibacker®, a backing board manufactured by James Hardie International. Hardbacker® is one-quarter inch thick and, unlike Wonderboard®, comes in several sizes. It comes in 3 by 5 foot (0.9 meter by 1.5 meter) and 4 by 8 foot (1.2 meter by 2.4 meter) pieces. Another difference between Hardibacker® and Wonderboard® is that Hardibacker® does not contain any mesh, just a cementitious compound. Some people find the Hardbacker® easier to cut due to the lack of mesh.
The backerboard is an improvement over the older method of laying tiles. In the past it was necessary to apply the mortar used for laying the tiles in a thick layer to protect the substrate from humidity. The thick application of the mortar, with the aid of a trowel, made it difficult to maintain the level of the floor. The backerboard eliminated the need to apply a thick layer of mortar, or mud, when laying the tiles.
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