Small en-suite floor - ply or what?

**Statia** · 30-09-2010

Hi guys,

I have a small en-suite, 2m x 1.5m in size, and I have some nice 300x300mm tiles to lay down on the floor in there soonest. I have a 600x900mm shower in the corner which I put in last xmas and is raised from the floor on feet.

I'm not sure what to do with regards to putting down ply or nomoreply or what on the floor. The house is just 10yrs old and has chipboard floors and is nice and level etc.

I'd ideally prefer to just screw down something to the floor before I tile. The thought of the permanence of using adhesive under hardibacker boards etc puts me off as it would be a nightmare to pull up in the future (wouldn't it?). Ply on the other hand would be a swine to put down in one big sheet as the room isn't perfectly square etc. But, doing the job properly is also something I am mindful of.

What can you guys recommend I do in this situation in this sized room?

Many thanks!

**david campbell** · 30-09-2010

6mm cenect boards,either way none of them are easy to get up but thats where the strength is in them and ply as it is meant to last for many years without failure

**garretridge** · 30-09-2010

i did bathroom job simular size to yours with 6mm no more ply last week for the first time. really easy to use cuts easy glued down then screwed as normal great to tile on will be using it more in the future far better than ply and easier to work with than cement boards!

**kilty55** · 30-09-2010

6mm cement boards for me,why would you want to lift it up easily? a good installation should last years and years

**CCTiling** · 30-09-2010

Originally Posted by Statia

Hi guys,

I have a small en-suite, 2m x 1.5m in size, and I have some nice 300x300mm tiles to lay down on the floor in there soonest. I have a 600x900mm shower in the corner which I put in last xmas and is raised from the floor on feet.

I'm not sure what to do with regards to putting down ply or nomoreply or what on the floor. The house is just 10yrs old and has chipboard floors and is nice and level etc.

I'd ideally prefer to just screw down something to the floor before I tile. The thought of the permanence of using adhesive under hardibacker boards etc puts me off as it would be a nightmare to pull up in the future (wouldn't it?). Ply on the other hand would be a swine to put down in one big sheet as the room isn't perfectly square etc. But, doing the job properly is also something I am mindful of.

What can you guys recommend I do in this situation in this sized room?

Many thanks!

Hi. Hardibacker is the way to go for me. It would be a mare to get up as it is fixed with 2 part adhesive and screwed so very secure. Plywood would also be a mare to get up too as it would need to be primed on the back so it would be stick to the chipboard as well as being screwed.