Wet rooms, balconies & swimming pools
Tiles on cement board or plasterboard?
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Solutions & Applications · Dry construction
Yes. Dry construction is an excellent substrate for tiles — provided you choose the right subfloor for the space and ensure it is properly prepared. The difference lies in wet areas.
The answer
Whether you can lay tiles safely depends on two things: the type of subfloor and the waterproofing of the space.
- Dry areas (living rooms, hallways, dry kitchens): H2 moisture-resistant plasterboard is sufficient, with Knauf Tiefengrund Plus primer applied to the absorbent surface and Ceresit CM 25 (C2TE S1) flexible adhesive. Respect the plasterboard joints.
- Wet areas (bathrooms, shower rooms): this is where things get interesting. Use AQUAPANEL indoor cement board — or H2 moisture-resistant board — but always with Ceresit CL 51 brush-on waterproofing and Ceresit CL 152 waterproofing tape at corners and joints, before tiling. Finish the grouting with Ceresit CE 40 Aquastatic grout.
ARGYNET Note: In a bathroom, a fault never starts with the tile — it starts with the waterproofing underneath. The tile and the grout are not watertight. That is why the correct solution is system: substrate → waterproofing → flexible adhesive.
Related Products
Cement boardAquapanel IndoorView the product →
PlasterboardKnauf H2 (moisture-resistant)View the product →
Tile adhesiveCeresit CM 25 (C2TE S1)View the product →
WaterproofingCeresit CL 51View the product →
WaterproofingCeresit CL 152 (tape)View the product →
PrimerKnauf Tiefengrund PlusView the product →
Joint fillerCeresit CE 40 AquastaticView the product →
