How to Hang Hardibacker

Hardibacker is a proprietary brand of cement board manufactured and sold by James Hardie Building Products, Inc. It is similar in appearance to drywall, but contains a water-resistant center core, making it ideal for use in bathrooms and other high-moisture locations. It also provides a sturdy base for tile installations, and is applied on walls, counters and floors before tiling the areas. Even novices can install Hardibacker, since the process requires no special tools.

Tape measure
Straight edge
Carbide-tipped scoring knife
Stud finder
Pencil
1 5/8-inch corrosion-resistant roofing nails
Hammer
Thinset mortar
Trowel
2-inch mesh tape
Utility knife

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the height of the wall on which you are hanging the Hardibacker board using a tape measure. Lay a sheet of the board on a table and measure the height to determine if it requires cutting.
- 2
  Place a straightedge perpendicular to the board across the location where you need to cut it. Hold the straightedge down firmly and draw the blade of a carbide-tipped scoring knife along the straightedge. Set the straightedge aside and grasp the side of the board, pulling it up sharply to snap off the unneeded portion.
- 3
  Locate all of the studs in the wall using a stud finder tool. Mark the location of each stud on the ceiling or the floor with a pencil.
- 4
  Place the Hardibacker board up to the left edge of the wall and insert 1 5/8 corrosion-resistant roofing nails every 8 inches into the studs with a hammer.
- 5
  Continue cutting and hanging additional boards in the same manner, pushing the edges as close as possible.
- 6
  Spread a layer of thinset mortar into all the steams between the boards using a trowel.
- 7
  Press 2-inch mesh tape over all seams so it sits firmly in the thinset. Cut the mesh tape off flush with the ceiling and floor using a utility knife. Apply more thinset on top of the mesh tape until you can no longer see it.
- 8
  Wait 24 hours to allow the thinset to dry completely and then proceed with installing the tile on the wall.

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