Installation Contractors Choose HardieBacker Cement Board as a Preferred Brand

HardieBacker Cement Board by James Hardie Building Products Inc. was again selected as the most preferred brand of backer board for floor and wall tile by installation contractors nationwide, earning the CLEARselect award based on the 2017 Tile and Stone Installation Study.

The study was conducted by Clear Seas Research, in partnership with the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) and TILE Magazine. It identifies the brands most often used among the more than 35,000 tile and stone installation contractors surveyed to provide insights on the top residential and commercial tile and stone installation products in the U.S. market. Awards are only presented to the companies that achieve outstanding brand preference.

The James Hardie CLEARselect Award results from contractors noting their preference of HardieBacker Cement Board because of its quality, availability, familiarity, durability, reliability and ease of installation. More than one-third (34 percent) of respondents chose HardieBacker Cement Board as their preferred backer board for floor and wall tile installations, ahead of manufacturers such as USG, Georgia-Pacific, Custom Building Products and National Gypsum.

There are three primary areas in which HardieBacker Cement Board is preferred over other backer board products:

• The high flexural strength and up to three times the compressive strength, providing a solid foundation for a tile job.
• Less debris, clean cuts and less dust than other products no matter how it is cut.
• The tile adhesion protects your work as well as a cement formulation that resists moisture and mold.

“When we talk to contractors about what they need for a successful installation, attributes such as quality, reliability and ease of installation are at the top of the list,” says James Hardie Chief Marketing Officer Sean Gadd. “We’re pleased that HardieBacker Cement Board continues to be the most preferred brand. Ultimately, the small premium paid on HardieBacker versus the total cost of a bathroom project is great insurance for installers, builders and building owners due to the performance it delivers.”

The 2017 Tile and Stone Installation Study focuses on all major types of tile and stone installation products, ranging from backer boards for floor and wall tile to organic adhesives. Conducted biennially, James Hardie has remained the preferred backer board brand among tile installation contractors since 2009.

Available in 1/4- and 0.42-inch boards, HardieBacker cement board is a mold-resistant substrate designed to protect the integrity of tile installation in floors, walls, counters and wet areas. The HardieBacker cement board cement formulation and structure make it the ideal combination of strength, uniform composition and performance. It also passed both ASTM mold and mildew resistance tests.