Backerboard question

[Pizza Freak]

Hi Folks,
A quick question about using Hardibacker...
I'm about ready to start the steel stud framing for the gable house enclosure around my casa 90 oven. Everything is humming along nicely. In terms of the cladding, I notice that many people use the Hardibacker 500 1/2" boards. I happen to have some 1/4" Hardibacker boards taking up room in my garage from a previous project. Is there any reason why I can't use 1/4" for the cladding?? They seem plenty stiff and sturdy.

The enclosure will be fairly small and simple (just a gable house) and will be topped off with a 7/8" corrugated steel roof. I'll stucco the exterior. BTW, I've noticed that some people apply stucco directly to the Hardibacker, without mesh or other backing. Does this work well?

Thanks again!
PF

[krosskraft]

I applied some kind of fibrous concrete product that looks like stucco. Its in the directions somewhere....I used a Quikcrete product. I mixed it with water and applied it directly to the backerboard. It produced a wonderful texture and was easily painted. I put stone on three sides of my oven and that stuff on two sides plus inside the wood-storage area (it was a challenge getting my 54 year-old self inside of that thing). I have the oven on the diagonal.

Anyway, I don't know about 1/4 in versus 1/2 inch but I did have a positive effect applying the stuff directly to the backerboard. Hope this helps.

[Ken524]

Hi Freak,

I just finished applying stucco to my Hardibacker. I threw caution into the wind and put the stucco directly on the board. I used Sakrete's Type S Mortar/Stucco mix from Lowe's.

Everyone I asked at Lowe's, Home Depot and a few message boards seemed to agree that since Hardibacker (and regular cement board) are cement-based products, you can apply stucco directly to it.

Make sure you soak the board as much as possible before applying stucco; it really soaks up water.

It's been 2-3 weeks since I did 3 coats and all is well. Solid as a rock.

[Pizza Freak]

Thanks guys,
Hey Ken, another question. How thick do you think your stucco layer is after applying the 3 coats?
PF

[Ken524]

I'm a beginner, so the thickness varies .
I'd say between .5" and 1".