DP, do you need to build up the floor 1 1/8" before you tile or is this all the room you have to get level with surrounding floors?
Do not use Backerboards over concrete, your floor will fail, CBUs are used over sheet plywood on floors or for walls only.
There are few ways to do what you need, but need to know how much room there is to play with, I wouldn't use deck mud under 1 1/4" if possible, there are also 3 ways to prep the concrete before it's applied over it.
SLC is another option, if you don't have the height for deck mud.
Also, any cracks, paint or sealers on that slab?
Yes I need to build 1 1/8" before I tile in order to match with hardwood over 3/4" plywood hardwood is also 3/4"
Thanks on the cbu advise I hadn't planned on using it anymore anyway it was a bad recomendation from the contractor.
I knew about the mud bed but I didn't know that it was called dry pack. Do you still use the tar paper on concrete? or just prep? I don't know about cracks paint or sealers until I get to the certain jobs, but I know how to clean and prep them. Since I will be doing both the hardwood and the ceramic I can shim the hardwood up enough to get the 1 1/4" and I think problem solved :Thumbs: Thanks alot David
Bob, you mix the sand and cement together first, then add water till it's the correct mix, just till it holds together in a ball without alot of moisture squeezing out, it then get's placed and packed down real well, that's what gives it it's strength.