The Pros & Cons of the Schluter Kerdi Board
Kerdi Board photo by Schluter
When it comes to tile underlayment, people often find themselves at the crossroads of whether they want to use the conventional cement board or the new talk of the town, the Schutler Kerdi board. Both the Kerdi board and the cement board are designed with these outcomes in mind: smoothing out uneven spots on an installation’s surface, creating an unbending layer that won’t flex underfoot, and providing a barrier that’s waterproof. However, each of these products has its own individual characteristics, as well as its own pros and cons.
Today, we want to focus on the Schutler Kerdi board, explaining the key features that make them so great and analyzing the pros and cons of using them. Before we dive into the pros and cons of using Kerdi boards for your home or building’s tile underlayment, let’s answer this question.
What is Kerdi Board?
Kerdi Board photo by Schluter
A Kerdi board is a multi-functional tile substrate and building panel that is generally used for tile underlayment for a home or building’s floors and walls manufactured by Schutler systems. It was originally created as a solution to the issues that come with using cement boards. Kerdi boards can be used with approved bonded waterproofing assemblies in specific areas. Being waterproof themselves, they can withstand all chemical stresses that generally occur in conjunction with ceramic tile coverings.
People use Kerdi boards in showers, bathtub surroundings, shelvings, countertops, vanities, etc. Kerdi boards consist of an extruded hard foam panel with a special reinforcement material on both sides, as well as fleece webbing to create effective anchoring within the tile adhesive. They can be fully adhered in wall areas and also attached with dabs of adhesive. When it comes to stud frames that are made of wood or metal, Kerdi boards are attached with screws from the matching hardware system.
The material in a Kerdi board is equally suitable for creating level substrates in floor renovation projects like bathroom installations designed for foot traffic. The material is easy to cut to size with a utility knife and the gridlines printed on the surface are helpful for neat and quick installations. Tiles can be directly installed over Kerdi boards using the thin-bed method, however, other suitable trowel-applied coverings or plaster layers can be utilized as a solution as well.
What are the Pros of using Kerdi Boards?
Kerdi board panels have a number of advantages. Here is a list of pros for using them for your tile underlayment needs:
- They can be cut to size.
- Are extremely lightweight.
- You can glue or screw them into place.
- The grid lines on the surface make it extremely useful for neat cuts and installation.
- Their lightness in weight makes moving around during installation very easy, a far cry from the heft of the very conventionally used cement boards.
- Even panel surfaces provide superior structural rigidity
- The stability of the panels is great and won’t deteriorate when exposed to moisture.
- The foam core that’s surrounded by synthetic cloth on both sides and adhered with resin glue is in league with products used in the high-end boating industry.
- They have the capability of being installed on any type of support, even to the extent of creating partitions, without needing any structural support.
- They are easy to move and transport due to their lightweight.
- The surface area is ready-made for mortar application.
What are the Cons of using Kerdi Board?
The cons that people have given to the Kerdi board are actually very few in number. They include the following:
- Sometimes getting the Kerdi membrane to embed can become problematic.
- Challenges sometimes arise in making sure the thin set isn’t too stiff or not stiff enough to create a bond.
- Occasionally, one may run into wicking issues during installation.
Is the Kerdi board better than a cement board?
In short, yes. Kerdi board panels are easier to lift and cut compared to cement boards. In contrast, cement boards are notoriously known for being heavy and hard to cut. Because Kerdi board panels having ultra-lightweight, it makes it so easy to transport, even in batches of five at a time. Kerdi board is also warranted by Schutler, a huge peace of mind to anyone using them.
Kerdi board panels are also water-proof whereas cement boards are only water-resistant. No vapor barrier is needed when installing a Kerdi board because the Kerdi board is the vapor barrier. Thus, Kerdi board panels are capable of being directly installed over drywall.
Kerdi Board Methods in TilingMyWay
Finding Kerdi Board methods in the TilingMyWay App is super simple. When you find the one you like, you can use our 3D imaging to see exactly how to install the Kerdi Board, what products are compliant, what costs are for each product, and how much money you’ll save based on that Kerdi Board Method and products you’ve selected. It’s that simple!
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