Counter top material

[Rudy]

SHMBO wishes me to make a counter then tile over it. Now the question is should I use ply or mdf for the base material of the top.

I just built our laundry room cabinets. I used 2 layers of 3/4" ply for the tops (glued and screwed together-thats the way the tile "pro" did our bathrooms) and had some 1/4" tile backerboard to put on top. She said "nevermind" to the backerboard and tiled today, right onto the ply. If I wasn't busy with several other projects, I'd have gone with the backerboard too.

[Puff Griffis]

SHMBO wishes me to make a counter then tile over it. Now the question = is should I use ply or mdf for the base material of the top. Any = suggestions would be appreciated. Puff

[Joe Bemier]

I see a lot of tile guys do their work and it seems they are not too concerned with the base itself as long as it is strong but they always use backerboard as the poster above suggests

[SteveC]

The substrate should be minimum of 1 and 1/4 inches thick. Two layers of plywood glued and screwed or one layer of ply plus a layer of backerboard screwed and glued to the ply with thinset. Backerboard is the better way.

[Upscale]

Just for information's sake, what is backerboard? Is it what I call hard board, the brown stuff that's used for pegboard except without the holes in it?

[J. Clarke]

If this is a kitchen counter avoid MDF. If you've ever seen what happens to it when it gets wet you'll know why. Sure, it _should_ stay dry but what should be and what is in the real world are seldom the same.

[Leon]

NO!. It is typically water proof board used instead of sheet rock in water prone splash areas such as tub surrounds.

[Upscale]

Sounds like what I'd cement board.

[Locutus]

who makes Hardiplank siding) is easier to work with, ligher, and cleaner to cut. The last time I priced them at HD, they were the exact same price.

[Locutus]

Exterior grade ply is your best bet.

[gfretwell]

This is the grey cement board Durock or similar. It keeps the plywood/mdf from bubbling up if you get a crack in the grout.

BTW the biggest problem with this method is the stems of faucets are usually 2 - 2.5" long so you run out of stem before you can get the lock nut and water connection on. Be sure you cut out a hole on the plywwod where the faucet goes so you will have a countersink hole. You can get carburundum hole saws to cut the holes in the tile and durock.

[Robatoy]

should I use ply or mdf for the base material of the top. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

It's that Mackinac sailboat race again this weekend...so I'm a bit short of time/breath to get on my soap-box and tell all about tiled countertops. I'll give you the short version: It is a bad idea. Grout=germs. Grout=ugly.

BTW.. that race was won by a good friend of mine 4 times over the last

20 years. Last year Bob Seger (yes..THAT Bob Seger) won with Lighning. This year we have a couple of serious speedsters here....America Cup-grade stuff. Good thing for Classes.

When I survive Boat Night in Port Huron.. I will continue my tirade against tiled countertops....for now.. Off to the park where Keith Urban (First concert after getting married) is going to play toninght.

love my little town.

r

[Joe Bemier]

should I use ply or mdf for the base material of the top. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Bob Seger...a true musician It all sounds like a lot of fun - Best wishes for nice weather.

[Lew Hodgett]

Are you in the race?

Lew

[Locutus]

If you don't like the grout on your countertop you can butt the tiles together, then only a small amount of grout is used to fill the seams, this method looks particularly attractive with marble tile. Properly sealed germs shouldn't be a problem.

[Mike_in_SD]

[e-mail] (SteveC) wrote in The substrate should be minimum of 1 and 1/4 inches thick. Two layers

I used two thick pieces of exterior ply .. with NO backer board.

I did this experiment ..

I took a piece of my plywood (2'X 2') and did some tiling in the middle so all the edges of the tile and mud were exposed.

then I set it in the backyard leaning against the fence. Then everyday for a few weeks I watered it down.

its been a year since I did my counter, and that piece is still there and I still cant pry the tile off.

so I am not worried about a glass of water being spilled on my counter

so ... I am not saying .. "DONT use the backer board .. "

I am just saying .. that most guys that say you MUST use it are saying that because of being taught that way .. not from experience

mike

[Upscale]

Tell the truth Mike. The mud you used was excess stock from what they use on the space shuttle to glue down the foam heat shield.

[Robatoy]

I am not. Many around me are involved one way or another.

I know you were around here some time back, Lew, so maybe you knew the Abbott brothers. Their entire operation burnt down... plugs, patterns, molds....carnage and devastation.

I was THIS close to ordering a Volksboot from them. Now I'll have to settle for an antique.

[CW]

How do you properly seam a germ?

[Locutus]

In an air tight container.