Best practice for bathroom floor base over particle board

3 years ago

Hi All!

I'm after some expert advice on the current best practice on what to use/how to construct the right base for tiling a bathroom floor where the subfloor is based on compressed particle board.
We live in a pole home, so all our floors are generally 19mm Yellow Tongue particle boards. I'm renovating our two bathrooms and ripped out the existing floor completely and plan to do it all from scratch for the new bathroom.
The old floor was basically yellow tongue boards, then a layer of waterproofing membrane surrounded by a metal band along the edges where it joins the walls, then a mortar bed and then the tiles on top.

Based on some research on various forums, I'm planning to use James Hardie's Scyon Secura Interior FC flooring 19mm sheets instead of the yellow tongue particle boards.

Now my question is this: Is it ok to use ie James Hardie Ceramic tile underlay on top of the Scyon sheets and then tile on top of that (with all the waterproofing in between of course) - OR - is it better practice to do another mortar bed on top of the Scyon sheets and not use tile underlay?
The shower base will obviously be screed, but outside the shower I was hoping I can use the tile underlay and not have to worry about a mortar bed since the tile underlay would be easier to install.
Note that since this is a pole home - there may be slightly more movement in the house/floor than a regular house - so one important point for the new floor is also to avoid tile cracking as much as possible. So not sure if a mortar bed or the tile underlay is more flexible in that regards.

Any tips on that matter would be much appreciated!
Thanks in advance

Comments (4)

Kate
3 years ago
Had the bathroom leaked or mortar crackled?
lenzi3126
Original Author
3 years ago
Hi Kate, no - haven't seen any leaks from the old bathroom - however there had been a few cracked tiles in 2 places on the floor (outside the shower area).

Thanks
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Beach Bathrooms
3 years ago
Two options for your floor

For a Quality Bathroom Renovation

1)

Best Option

Remove existing yellow tongue, the sheets may extend be under the walls to the adjoining room, can be done...NOT an easy job, hand saw and chisel

2(

Hardies Ceramic Tile underlay nailed onto the existing yellow tongue, MUST be nailed to manufacturers specifications. Nails, as specified and spacing as specified.

3)

Walls

...Plumb Studs, add noggins for vanity, recessed shaving cabinet et all check top and bottom plates

4)

Rough In Plumbing

5)

6)

Rough In electrical

7)

Insulate walls with Sound Check Insulation,,, Add flashing angles in corners...

8)

Fix Hardiflex to specifications 300mm centers, galvanized clouts if using wall tiles up to 15 mm use 6.5 thick villaboard, if over, use 9 mm villoaboard

9)

Sikaflex with 11FC all gaps villaboard to floor,

10)

Waterproof , apply ( Davco K10 plus, easy one to apply. not toxic nor inflamable whole floor,

showed say 300 above shower screen 1 metre to sides of the shower, 600 above bath, vanity, 400 around remaining bathroom walls

11)

Shower wall to floor, and about 300 past shower, add Polyester Bandage abt 100 mm wide

12)

Fix water bars to, shower and door ( MUST be level ) with Sikaflex 11 FC

13)

Second coat of waterproofing to all areas

14 )

Tiler to "top floor"/ lay tile bed,

15)

After drying 4/5 days, WATERPROOF on top of tile bed, with another Polyester Bandage in shower area....the waterproof on top of the tile bed is to keep the tile bed dry .. two coats in shower

16)

Commence tiling
lenzi3126
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks so much for this detailed step by step guide, really appreciate it and exactly what I was looking for. Seems like I was and am on the right track already as most of the things you outlined I had planned on doing. Good call with the 2nd layer of waterproofing over the tile bed of the shower cause I wasn't sure whether that's commonly done or not. Again - thanks for taking the time to write your input, very valuable!

Best practice for bathroom floor base over particle board

Comments (4)

Kate

lenzi3126
Original Author

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Best practice for bathroom floor base over particle board

Comments (4)

Kate

lenzi3126Original Author

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Beach Bathrooms

lenzi3126Original Author

COMPANY

EXPLORE HOUZZ

CONNECT WITH US

lenzi3126
Original Author

lenzi3126
Original Author