HardieBacker® Cement Board by James Hardie Building Products Inc. was once 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 critical 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.
James Hardie’s 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, making it the highest overall ranked product, significantly 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 superior to other backer board products:
• Made better: The highest flexural strength and up to three times the compressive strength, providing a solid foundation for a tile job.
• Installs better: Less debris, cleaner cuts and less dust than other products no matter how it is cut.
• Performs better: Excellent tile adhesion to protect your work as well as a unique 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,” said James Hardie Chief Marketing Officer Sean Gadd. “We’re pleased, but not surprised 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 ultimately homebuyers due to the exceptional 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 specifically designed to protect the integrity of tile installation in floors, walls, counters and wet areas. HardieBacker cement board’s unique cement formulation and structure make it the ideal combination of strength, uniform composition and performance, while remaining one of the lightest cement boards available. It also passed both ASTM mold and mildew resistance tests with perfect scores.
For more information about HardieBacker, visit www.hardiebacker.com.
About James Hardie Building Products, Inc.
James Hardie is the global leader in fiber cement technology, and has been furthering founder James Hardie’s innovative, entrepreneurial legacy around the world for more than 125 years. It invented fiber cement siding products in the early 1980s as a durable, lower-maintenance alternative to wood and vinyl. Its products combine innovation and versatility to offer a variety of design possibilities, matched with specific performance attributes relative to the climate where the product is being used. Currently installed on more than 8 million homes in North America, James Hardie has earned a favorable reputation within the industry and has been specified in some of the country’s most prestigious projects.
For more information about James Hardie, visit jameshardie.com.