Details: Available in 36″ x 60″ sizes (either 7/16″ or 1/4″ thick), Wonderboard can be cut with a utility knife.Composition: Wonderboard is a very fibrous material, its cement core heavily interlaced with long fibers designed to help hold the board together.DensShield scores and snaps with a standard utility knife.

Review: If you are comfortable working with drywall, this product is for you.

The DensShield product also claims to be mold resistant. Glass mat is waterproof, eliminating the need for a plastic barrier.

Details: DensShield is denser than even HardiBacker.

Composition: This glass mat is up to 5% continuous filament glass fiber along with gypsum–the main ingredient in drywall.

Available at Home Depot, HardieBacker’s 1″ x 1″ grid makes measuring easy and cutting a snap (literally).

Review: For DIY tile installers, HardieBacker reigns supreme.

Details: If you expect to apply fiber cement board in areas of high water volume (tiling a bathtub, for example), you will want to install a barrier of 4 mm plastic behind the backer board.

HardieBacker is 90% Portland cement and sand, along with patented MoldBlock technology.

But unless you are installing as a team, you will find the large size too heavy to handle on your own. HardieBacker comes in both 3′ x 5′ and 4′ x 8′ sizes. Composition: Unlike pure cement board, the fiber is almost invisibly integrated into the board, making for cleaner cuts.If you can walk on theĮxisting subfloor and notice that it is flexing or moving up and down while you are walking on it then you need to stabilize the sub floor before applying the self leveling compound. Also the tile and grout will start to crack as well if they are installed on top of this type of flexing subfloor. If you apply the self leveling compound to a floor that is flexing then it will crack and shift as the floor is being walked on. Also a second thicker layer ofĪ wooden subfloor will also help to stabilize a flexing subfloor. Stabilizing a subfloor may involve adding more floor joists or sistering the existing floor joists. Stabilize the subfloor before applying the self leveling compound. Self leveling compounds will not add any stability to a sub floor that is flexing or shifting. You can also use self leveling compounds when installing tile over top of an existing tile installation. Osb, concrete, cement board, hardibacker and many other types of subfloor materials. You can apply self leveling compound to plywood, A self leveling compound can be applied to most types of subfloor materials.

Install hardibacker board on subfloor