Tile On Plywood Outside

The best choice depends primarily on the intended use but budget can also be a consideration.

Tile on plywood outside.

The many types of plywood can differ in materials number of layers rating and grade. Backerboard does not shrink or expand when it comes into contact with water mortar and grout both contain water. Tile should never be installed directly onto plywood. Today builders can choose from several types of exterior plywood.

Exterior plywood came on the scene in 1934 with the development of a waterproof adhesive. Plywood substrate alternatives. Clean and heavily score area to where tiles are to be fixed it sounds like the adhesive does not have a rough surface in which to secure itself to. How the floor is prepared for the installation however is another.

Cdx plywood a stock item at most lumberyards is a utility grade suitable for most outdoor. It is the only plywood that is rated for use with tile installations in areas where condensation or other moisture is going to be present. There are tile companies that actually use 3 4 exterior rated plywood as their standard substrate with a quality modified thinset. Instead use a concrete or fiber board.

You can have 5 8 osb and 19 2 oc joists and it still works. If you want to know why it s because it pretty much doesn t matter what the subfloor is under that plywood. Plywood is a necessity in many diy and construction projects but not every type of plywood works for every project. Installing almost any type of tile is the same whether it s designed for the interior or exterior.

Concrete is the preferred choice for an exterior setting but either works. The glues and resins inside of exterior grade plywood are of a higher quality and are designed to deal with moisture above and beyond what interior types are designed for. Next he combed out unmodified thinset adhesive with a 1 4 inch square notched trowel set permabase exterior rated cement backerboard on the furrowed mud then fastened the. To be sure maybe drill up to 6 evenly spread out holes in the plywood at least 4mm deep or straight through in the areas to be tiled so the adhesive sinks into the holes and hardens hence creating a stronger fix.

This guide will explain the different uses of plywood as well as popular plywood sheet sizes and its rating and grade system so that you can choose the best plywood for your project. The safest most prudent course is to install tile on top of a cement backerboard such as durock wonderboard or hardiebacker.