AboutJohn Michaels Expertise All questions pertaining to all indoor floor coverings regarding best products to choose, proper installation techniques, and proper maintenance techniques.
Experience We are a nationwide floor covering inspection service. We inspect all types of indoor floor coverings in every city and town in all 50 States and in all the Provinces of Canada. We see where errors in choice of product, improper installation, and improper maintenance lead to complaints being registered and we are then called upon to inspect those products and issue certified reports indicating from where those complaint issues eminate. We have done this type of work for over 40 years.
Education/Credentials Carpet, vinyl, and hardwood manufacturing, installation, and maintenance, prior to just inspecting, and a division of our Company specifies proper floor covering choices for residential and commercial uses.
Question I have a 3X6 area with 3/4" plywood subfloor with no defects. Do I still need to use the thin set mortar under my 1/4" backerboard? Plywood floor has no defects or imperfections. I will be using 12in ceramic tiles.
Answer Hi Jeff;In today's world, all floor covering manufacturers and floor covering sundry (adhesives, underlayments, cleaning agents, etc.), are in the throes of producing 'green' products, friendly to our enviornment. They are vastly different than those made just 1 or 2 years ago, and the installation specifications for the same type of flooring will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Obtain the name of the manufacturers of your ceramic tiles. Visit the website of that exact manufacturer and download the free installation specifications which will list numerous important things such as acceptable underlayments, acceptable mortar adhesives, acceptable ways that the ceramic must be handled and installed before, during, and after the installation, etc. Also visit the website of,
<hardibacker.com>, which is the website for the James Hardie Company in California, the maker of hardibacker cement type backerboard. There are contact numbers on those websites, which are usually 800
numbers. Call them and speak to the technical services department of those manufacturers and ask any needed questions to protect your investment and to be certain you are installing those tiles exactly as they should be to keep any warranties in effect. Go to the correct sources, the manufacturer of the products you will be using. If you have difficulty in finding out the name of the manufacturer of the tiles or have any other questions, please get back to me for additional important information.
