Cement board is best suited for: Ceramic and Porcelain Tile: Cement board is specifically designed to be a moisture-resistant substrate for tile in high-moisture areas like bathrooms and kitchens.
Best for Water and Heat Resistance: Plywood
Plywood is more likely to resist permanent swelling, which is a good quality for a subfloor material, keeping the flooring even.
Plywood is the correct substrate for a bathroom floor really - it has the best moisture resistance. While, ideally, your subfloor shouldn't actually get wet, there is always a puddle that seeps past a compromised mastic joint or something somewhere that gets it wet eventually.
Plywood is suitable for bathrooms — however pressure treated 3/4″ plywood subfloor is the best subfloor material for bathrooms. Pressure treated plywood is water resistant and will withstand the humid, damp bathroom environment much better than untreated plywood or OSB.
Assuming your subfloor is in good shape and level, your next step is waterproofing. Use a layer of unmodified thin-set mortar on your substrate, then add an uncoupling membrane, like Schluter®-DITRA & DITRA-XL. Then add another layer of thin-set mortar on top of the membrane, and finally, you place your tiles.
In terms of withstanding moisture and humidity, luxury vinyl tiles (LVT), vinyl roll, and porcelain or ceramic tile are the best bathroom flooring options. Each of these flooring options is water-resistant and able to withstand humidity and temperature changes in a bathroom.
Should I Use Treated Plywood for Subflooring? Using treated plywood for subflooring is generally unnecessary since the wood will be completely covered and hidden from access.
Plywood: Renowned for its strength and durability, plywood is one of the best subfloor materials for residential projects where moisture is not a major concern.
Close-grained, solid hardwood plywood is best for bathroom cabinets, so you're looking for something like a birch, cherry, poplar, oak, teak or walnut plywood. You can also find plywoods that have been specially treated to be water-resistant, so look out for those.
Yes, sealing the plywood subfloor ensures better adhesion for peel-and-stick tiles and prevents moisture damage. Use a primer or sealer designed for flooring to create a smooth, even surface. This also extends the lifespan of the tiles by enhancing their bond.
Cement backer board is waterproof, making it an ideal choice when it comes to tiling areas that are directly exposed to water such as showers, bathrooms, and wet rooms.
Furthermore, plywood generally has better moisture resistance than OSB, maintaining its structural integrity even when damp. Structurally it holds up well but visually, there are a few things to consider.
Underlayment is the material placed on top of the subfloor that assists in the installation of the tile or other type of flooring.
Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) is a superstar when it comes to small bathroom remodels. Why? Because it offers the look of natural stone or wood, without the high maintenance or cost. LVT can be waterproof, durable, and incredibly easy to clean—a must for any bathroom.
Plywood is considered the most popular material used for subflooring, it has been used since the 1950s and remains one of the top choices for contractors. Standard plywood works perfectly fine as a subflooring material, but the best option is ¾” tongue-and-groove plywood subflooring.
And always fit your bathroom laminate with the addition of a good laminate underlay. Our current recommendation is Royale 7mm Professional Sonic Gold.
Both plywood and OSB are effective choices for your subfloor needs. Plywood is a better option for projects that require a lot of cutting and molding, while OSB is a good option for those who need to cover areas where moisture exposure may be an issue.
To waterproof plywood, an epoxy, waterproof paint, oil, varnish, latex or PVA can seal the wood for both indoor and outdoor use. These can come in either a paint-on or spray form, and they all bond easily to the wood to seal it and protect it from moisture. Simply sand down, apply and leave to dry.
Marine plywood is recommended for any plywood application where the timber will be directly immersed in water for a period of time such as boat building and other marine activities.
A subfloor is the bottom-most structural level of your floor. A good subfloor needs to be durable, level, at least 1 ⅛ inches thick, and free from residue. If it is not, it won't support tile well. Even the smallest cracks or depressions in a concrete floor could cause your tile to break early.
Porcelain tiles are the most popular choice for bathroom flooring. They are more budget-friendly than natural stones and more water-resistant than ceramic tiles. Porcelain tiles come in a variety of sizes, colors and shapes. Vinyl is the easiest flooring to install in a bathroom.
If you're just looking to waterproof OSB or plywood you can use tar paper or felt as it's also known and then a blackjack tar like product to seal where it overlaps and the corners. the subfloor is 2 layers of 5/8" plywood. I'll be layer new tile over it.
Mostly concrete subfloors transmit moisture. Concrete is porous and allows moisture to pass through to your basement/room level. So if you have a concrete slab/subfloor, then read on. If you don't, you won't have to worry about a separate moisture barrier as plywood subfloor doesn't transmit that much moisture.
While it might seem a bit risque to have wood ceilings directly over your shower or bathtub, it shouldn't be an issue so long as your wood ceiling bathroom is well-ventilated and the wood is properly treated.