Use a cement backer board that is dense, water resistant, and properly sized for floor tiling.

For bathroom floors choose a cement board specifically designed for flooring that is at least one quarter inch thick and available in three by five foot sheets to minimize joints and provide consistent support. Install the boards over a flat subfloor such as exterior grade plywood that is securely fastened with screws every six inches along edges and every eight inches in the field to prevent deflection. Stagger joints so seams do not line up with subfloor seams and leave a small gap of about one eighth inch between boards to allow for thin set mortar. Coat the subfloor with a thin layer of unmodified thin set where the board will contact it, or use a manufacturer recommended membrane to reduce hollow spots and improve bond. Cover seams with alkali resistant fiberglass tape embedded in thin set to create a continuous plane and then apply thin set over the tape before bedding tile. Use cement board specified fasteners and follow the torque recommendations so screws are flush without crushing the board which can create weak points.

Common mistakes include using a board that is too thin for floor loads which can allow tile to crack so choose one quarter inch thickness for standard floor tile and select thicker if using very large stone; another mistake is failing to support or fasten the subfloor properly which leads to movement so add blocking and use correct screw spacing; a third is leaving gaps or failing to tape and mortar seams which traps voids and causes hollow tiles, remedy that by maintaining the one eighth inch gap, embedding alkali resistant tape, and bedding joints with thin set before tiling.

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