How do you cut cement board? Will a small hand saw work? Or do you have to have an electric saw ? Trying to put around my shower and have to cut top pieces. Would also like to know if I need to either paste and tape like sheetrock or seal with poly urathane caulk sealant? Thanks.
cement board
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Ive cut it with a utility knife if its a straight line. Score it a few times and snap it like drywall. You'll go thru quite a few blades though. Other cuts use a 4" angle grinder with a diamond blade. Round cuts can be made with a diamond hole saw on your cordless drill.
Is this going on a wall or floor? Wet area?
Is this going on a wall or floor? Wet area?
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Are you talking about a hand saw that you would use to cut wood? Your concrete board will probably crumble while you are cutting it with a hand saw. Angle grinders are pretty inexpensive 20-40 bucks at most. Diamond blade for 20 bucks. Make sure you get a dusk mask and cut it outside. Or use some water to keep the dust down.
The first time I did it I used mostly the utility knife and some tile snips. It took me forever.
How are you planning on waterproofing the area before you tile?
The first time I did it I used mostly the utility knife and some tile snips. It took me forever.
How are you planning on waterproofing the area before you tile?
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Plus everyone needs new tools!!!!
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One of these will work better and last longer then a utility knife.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...F32C06E05B475B375D4AAC445A3A8&selectedIndex=1
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...F32C06E05B475B375D4AAC445A3A8&selectedIndex=1
Yep just score it many times and use a straight edge. Angle grinder with diamond blade worked the best though.
Use tape that is sold on the tile aisle and mud with thinset. How are you waterproofing? Polly behind the board or a roll on barrier?
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For tape use yellow alkali resistant mesh. Thinset is your mud. Years ago Hardi suggested using a carbide blade on a circular saw as one method to cut their cement board. It created a lot of dust and probably a lot of claims for damages due to respiratory illnesses. The last time I checked using a circular saw was not recommended. I still cut it that way but I wear a top quality respirator and I do it outside. The score and snap method takes more work but is probably safer and Hardiboard is rough on carbide blades. In spite of what I wrote, my advice is to follow the directions of the manufacturer to avoid any risk to your health.
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Your trying to do a bathroom remodel and tile job but own no tools. Hmm.
Okay everyone,
I am remodeling my bathroom. Tore out all sheetrock and tile around bath tub/shower and the rest of the bathroom.
Insulated all walls with R19 and put up sheetrock except around tub area. Have the insulation in the wall around tub.
Have put 4" flashing around tub since tub has no lip and lower on the wall side. Sealed that with poly sealant. Nailed the flasing to the studs.
Now ready to put cement board around tub. Have already taped and floated sheetrock. Now that is ready for sanding.
I think I need to use the poly caulk sealant after the cement board is installed. And I guess it is best to take it (cemenmt board) back to Home Depot and let them cut it to the measurement that I need. Right I dont have any power tools. And the saw I was going to use was a hack saw. Someone earlier suggested that I use a small drill and put holes in a straight line then saw. So I am trying to this correctly. I dont have a man around to this for me so I am doing the best I can.
I am remodeling my bathroom. Tore out all sheetrock and tile around bath tub/shower and the rest of the bathroom.
Insulated all walls with R19 and put up sheetrock except around tub area. Have the insulation in the wall around tub.
Have put 4" flashing around tub since tub has no lip and lower on the wall side. Sealed that with poly sealant. Nailed the flasing to the studs.
Now ready to put cement board around tub. Have already taped and floated sheetrock. Now that is ready for sanding.
I think I need to use the poly caulk sealant after the cement board is installed. And I guess it is best to take it (cemenmt board) back to Home Depot and let them cut it to the measurement that I need. Right I dont have any power tools. And the saw I was going to use was a hack saw. Someone earlier suggested that I use a small drill and put holes in a straight line then saw. So I am trying to this correctly. I dont have a man around to this for me so I am doing the best I can.
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Now I'm confused, how does drywall come into play? Sure hope you did not use it behind the tile board.
Wrong tub if there's no lips one the back sides.
Really need a picture to try and figure out what it is your trying to do.
No box store I know of is going to cut the tile board for you.
A hack saw is for cutting metal and drilling a row of holes is not even close to the right way to do this.
Now I'm confused, how does drywall come into play? Sure hope you did not use it behind the tile board.
Wrong tub if there's no lips one the back sides.
Really need a picture to try and figure out what it is your trying to do.
No box store I know of is going to cut the tile board for you.
A hack saw is for cutting metal and drilling a row of holes is not even close to the right way to do this.
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Now I'm confused, how does drywall come into play? Sure hope you did not use it behind the tile board.
Wrong tub if there's no lips one the back sides.
Really need a picture to try and figure out what it is your trying to do.
No box store I know of is going to cut the tile board for you.
A hack saw is for cutting metal and drilling a row of holes is not even close to the right way to do this.
![]()
no I did not use it behind the cement board around the bath tub area.
The tub is the original tub installed in house. It has about an 1/8" lip but that is really not sufficient since the tub is lower by about a 1/2" on the wall side. I am not physically strong enough to replace the tub.
I dont know of any other way to cut cement board other than taking it back to home depot and having them do it. But you say that they wont do that for you. So I'll have to call them and find out. Like I said earlier I am trying to do the best that I can by myself. I live in Houston and contractors are really trying to screw me on the prices of everything and some of them wanted to put sheetrock behind the cement board. Not one of them said anything about the flashing on the low side. So I am trying to get the best info I can to proceed. Thats why I signed up on this website. And I do appreciate the help that I am getting here.
Wrong tub if there's no lips one the back sides.
Really need a picture to try and figure out what it is your trying to do.
No box store I know of is going to cut the tile board for you.
A hack saw is for cutting metal and drilling a row of holes is not even close to the right way to do this.
Now I'm confused, how does drywall come into play? Sure hope you did not use it behind the tile board.Wrong tub if there's no lips one the back sides.
Really need a picture to try and figure out what it is your trying to do.
No box store I know of is going to cut the tile board for you.
A hack saw is for cutting metal and drilling a row of holes is not even close to the right way to do this.
no I did not use it behind the cement board around the bath tub area.The tub is the original tub installed in house. It has about an 1/8" lip but that is really not sufficient since the tub is lower by about a 1/2" on the wall side. I am not physically strong enough to replace the tub.
I dont know of any other way to cut cement board other than taking it back to home depot and having them do it. But you say that they wont do that for you. So I'll have to call them and find out. Like I said earlier I am trying to do the best that I can by myself. I live in Houston and contractors are really trying to screw me on the prices of everything and some of them wanted to put sheetrock behind the cement board. Not one of them said anything about the flashing on the low side. So I am trying to get the best info I can to proceed. Thats why I signed up on this website. And I do appreciate the help that I am getting here.
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Instead of using heavy, hard to cut cement board, consider using Kerdi-Board. Light, easy to cut, and waterproof if you follow the directions and take care of the seams. Plus, it is the perfect substrate for tiles.
http://www.schluterkerdiboard.com/
http://www.schluterkerdiboard.com/
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292 Posts
rsc1003
There have been excellent suggestions and info in the responses. I would suggest that you buy one of the books sold by Home Depot on plumbing or maybe a bathroom remodel book to get an overview of what you need to do. W/o a full set of tools, this job is not doable. How did you plan to cut the tiles? Maybe you can find a reliable contractor (even a handyman that has good references)) for the job. Just a few thoughts:
1. Don't assume the big box workers always give the good advice.
2. Some tubs are easier to handle (steel and fiberglass) than others such as cast iron so this may be the time to replace the old tub if you think it is needed.
3. There are easy to cut light-weight substitutes for cement board as mentioned above.
4. No big box store will cut cement board for you as previously indicated.
5. This is an ambitious project for someone who appears to have limited DIY experience.
When you do a bathroom remodel, a seemingly harmless error can come back to haunt you and might require extensive and expensive repairs to correct, ie. tiles falling off the wall because the wrong trowel was used.
If you still want to proceed, come back anytime.
There have been excellent suggestions and info in the responses. I would suggest that you buy one of the books sold by Home Depot on plumbing or maybe a bathroom remodel book to get an overview of what you need to do. W/o a full set of tools, this job is not doable. How did you plan to cut the tiles? Maybe you can find a reliable contractor (even a handyman that has good references)) for the job. Just a few thoughts:
1. Don't assume the big box workers always give the good advice.
2. Some tubs are easier to handle (steel and fiberglass) than others such as cast iron so this may be the time to replace the old tub if you think it is needed.
3. There are easy to cut light-weight substitutes for cement board as mentioned above.
4. No big box store will cut cement board for you as previously indicated.
5. This is an ambitious project for someone who appears to have limited DIY experience.
When you do a bathroom remodel, a seemingly harmless error can come back to haunt you and might require extensive and expensive repairs to correct, ie. tiles falling off the wall because the wrong trowel was used.
If you still want to proceed, come back anytime.
Thanks everyone for all of the advice. I am moving along. Went and bought the scoring knife (the 1 that you guys sent me a site to go to and see). As far as the kerdi-board, well home depot in Houston, Texas had no idea of what I was talking about (I did supply them with the website address). Saw it on Lowes website, they only sell in a bundle at a cost of more than $600.00, did not see it in the store when I went to get the scoring knife. Okay Guys the cement board going up today.
I am going to post a picture when the job is complete. Thanks for all of the positive advice and information.
I am going to post a picture when the job is complete. Thanks for all of the positive advice and information.
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