# Tile over Particle Board



## plang (Mar 20, 2009)

Do I need to take any steps to prepare Particle Board for covering it with Ceramic Tile? Will the PB react in anyway to the tile addhesive, or should I use a different base? Thanks


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## Sawkerf (Dec 31, 2009)

Particle board or flakeboard will work for a tile substrate, but I would recommend using a 1/4" or 1/2" cement board like Hardi Backer.


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## fredito (Apr 19, 2008)

If you tile directly over it you risk having the partical board swell with the moisture in the thinset, not likely, but possible. It is recommend to use a backer such as Hardibacker…about the only exception for direct application of tile is to cement and backsplashes…Hardibacker will also help with possible cracks that may form along the joints of the pw…also they make a special tape (in the tile dept) for the seams of hardi…its about $5 a roll…it looks like dw tape but dw tape will break down with thinset…the 1/4 in is for flooring/countertops the 1/2 is mostly for walls so it sits flush with drywall…also if you use hardi they make a little cutter, $9, its way better then using a utility knife…the hardibacker website has quite abit of info on all of this….Hope all of this helped


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## bill1352 (Nov 8, 2009)

If your tiling a table top I'd use MDF. as noted any mosture can cause particle board to swell and even separate.


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

If you use particle board, you can expect cracking in the tile and/or grout unless you are laying it on a slab- which you wouldn't want to do- you'd just set it on the slab, not the particle board. I'd recommend a serious t&g plywood, say 2-1/8", as a minimum. And even then, if I were doing it in a wet area, I'd still lay a cement board on it. You want the floor as stiff as possible to avoid cracking.


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## dbol (Mar 11, 2010)

You can not tile over particle board and expect it to last. If you want to keep the weight down use Ditra. A product by Schluter. They have it at HD.


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## SnowyRiver (Nov 14, 2008)

I would use MDF also.


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

plywood


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