Cement board flooring, crazy?

[Midori]

Seattle person here. As the coffee capital, I've fallen in love with the industrial charm a lot of the hip cafes have going on, including polished cement floors. I was at Home Depot and noticed the cement boards were cheaper than plywood and somewhat comparable in weight. Way cheaper when you account for subfllor AND a traditional flooring on top. Got me thinking about cement-like floors in my skoolie. My only concern is filling the gaps and not having cracking problems from bus flex. I know concrete crafting has come a long way with various additives. Does anyone here have some knowledge to share? Would using the same technique as for showers work where I embed fiberglass strips into a cement filler?

Pros: easy to clean with a proper surface sealant. Beautiful industrial aesthetic. Easy to repair if cracks do pop up (probably, depends on surface treatment). Inexpensive. Good for wet areas like showers, so maybe good for a wet Seattle area bus.

Cons: too much cracking? Cold (I'm insulating the bus, but I realize it's still going to feel colder than wood floors). Other problems I don't know about?

Your thoughts are greatly appreciated!

 

[o1marc]

I think Tango can learn ya sum about cement.

 

[jimburke77502]

Why not the hardi backer?? Doesn't crumble or crack like the cement board and is easier to work with. In 1/2" it's actually rated for using around wood burning stoves which means it is excellent at repelling heat. Think about that one if you have exhaust and engine heat that would radiate up through the floor. It also makes a great sound deadener. And, it is also very excellent for wet areas.

 

[o1marc]

Why not the hardi backer?? Doesn't crumble or crack like the cement board and is easier to work with. In 1/2" it's actually rated for using around wood burning stoves which means it is excellent at repelling heat. Think about that one if you have exhaust and engine heat that would radiate up through the floor. It also makes a great sound deadener. And, it is also very excellent for wet areas.

But can you polish it?

 

[Midori]

Why not the hardi backer?? Doesn't crumble or crack like the cement board and is easier to work with. In 1/2" it's actually rated for using around wood burning stoves which means it is excellent at repelling heat. Think about that one if you have exhaust and engine heat that would radiate up through the floor. It also makes a great sound deadener. And, it is also very excellent for wet areas.

I was considering that too. Didn't know it repelled heat and sound dampens, more pros! Just not sure what to fill the seams with?

 

[jimburke77502]

What kind of finish flooring are you going with? One advantage of the hardi is its extremely low expansion and contraction. Which means you can lay this with having very minimal gaps. As far as adhering it down, locktite PL 375. One of the reasons behind a good construction adhesive is that it stays pliable, but still holds what ever it was put down to hold. Thus causing as little rubbing between surfaces, and preventing movement squeaks.

 

[Tango-SKO]

"Backer" board, like that used behind tile is probably do-able but I don't see any real advantage. And then there is the weight. I love cement but personally would just opt for something lighter, like high density foam or marine ply.

 

[Midori]

What kind of finish flooring are you going with? One advantage of the hardi is its extremely low expansion and contraction. Which means you can lay this with having very minimal gaps. As far as adhering it down, locktite PL 375. One of the reasons behind a good construction adhesive is that it stays pliable, but still holds what ever it was put down to hold. Thus causing as little rubbing between surfaces, and preventing movement squeaks.

I was thinking of just covering it with a feather finish

 

[Tango-SKO]

A "feather finish" of what?