hi all, I'm about to take on a black white chequered front path tiling job. I'm starting from scratch on bare earth so all possibilities are available. My main concern is getting the tiles totally flat with a slight fall from the front door. The tiles are small and with the pattern anything inconsistent with bumps can look terrible. So, I had a thought of sticking cement backing boards down onto a cement base just so that my tiles are going onto something as flat as poss. Is that a good idea? Or should I just try and get a flat surface from the adhesive thickness straight onto as flat a concrete surface as I can try produce? I can't find much about anyone using cement backer boards outside like this.
I personally wouldn't. I have to say I'm struggling to see what the issue is. I'd have thought that a couple of straight lengths of timber shuttering - I dunno, 6x1 boards or similar? - pegged in place on each side of the required path and set to the exact correct level and fall, would be a perfect guide for levelling off your concrete base ready for tiling? What am I missing? If you think that concrete will be too coarse and have pebbles that'll cause bumps, then stop a half-inch or so from the top and finish with a layer of sand/cement for a bump-free finish.
Thanks for the response d.a. you're right that's how I was going to get base level. It just occurred to me that if I had a cement board or render board on top then any undulations wouldn't be an issue and my chances of a perfectly flat finish would be greatly improved. I know some boards are for exterior use, but used on the ground like this I just don't know?!
In theory it should work. But, since no-one has tried it in practice, who knows...? I mean, the stuff might actually be relatively 'soft' and not cope very well with the types of load it'll experience as a path - it might compress or crumble over time? It might be susceptible to frost damage? I just don't know. I'm not convinced it's worth the risk.
Lay concrete path first with correct fall, & finishe at correct depth below finish height of tiles,then lay tiles on to that, a lot easier. And allow the concrete cure, otherwise tiles might op off.
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