Drywall · Cement Boards
Cement Boards: Uses, Comparison with Gypsum and How to Specify
Cement boards are rigid building boards with a cement-based core, used mainly as a substrate for tiles and finishes in wet or demanding interior areas; Jawdah lists them in its drywall range, with product data confirmed on request.
01 / Overview
Quick answer
A cement board is a flat board with a cement-based core, usually reinforced with fibres or mesh, fixed to a stud frame as a backer for tiles or other finishes in wet and high-abuse areas. It is heavier than gypsum board and tolerates repeated wetting better. Jawdah lists cement boards in its drywall range; sizes, thicknesses and standards are confirmed per project on request.
Overview
What a cement board is
Cement boards fill the gap where gypsum board reaches its limits: surfaces that get wet repeatedly, tile backing in showers and wet rooms, and areas exposed to knocks. They are fixed to metal framing in much the same way as plasterboard, but their core is cement-based rather than gypsum.
Jawdah includes cement boards in its drywall board category. Detailed Jawdah specifications for this item, such as sizes, thicknesses, composition and standards, have not yet been published, so this page explains the product in general terms and tells you what to ask for. For the boards Jawdah does document in full, see gypsum boards.
In general industry terms, a cement board is a sheet made from Portland cement or a similar cementitious binder, combined with aggregates and reinforcement such as glass-fibre mesh or cellulose fibres. The result is a dense, dimensionally stable board that does not soften when wet in the way a paper-faced gypsum board can.
Cement boards are not a replacement for gypsum boards across a building. They are a targeted product for the zones where water, impact or a heavy tiled finish make gypsum a poor fit, and they are usually combined with gypsum boards elsewhere in the same project.
How it works
Why cement boards behave differently from gypsum
Gypsum board gets its strength from the paper facings and a gypsum core; prolonged wetting weakens both. A cement board's core is bound by cement, which keeps its strength when wet, and its reinforcement holds the board together under impact. That is why cement boards are commonly chosen as a tile backer: tile adhesives bond well to the cement surface, and a leak or splash does not degrade the substrate.
Cement board on its own is not a waterproofing layer. In showers and wet rooms, a separate waterproofing membrane is normally specified over or behind the board according to the tiling system.
02 / Performance
Design and specification points
Define the wet zone on the drawings: the shower enclosure, the area behind sinks, or the full wall height in a wash-down room. Specify cement board there and MR or FMR gypsum board elsewhere, with a clear joint between the two.
Check the frame. Cement boards are heavier than gypsum boards, so stud size, thickness and spacing should be confirmed for the board weight and the tile load. Jawdah's galvanized Stud and Runner profiles are available from 0.35 mm up to 0.9 mm thickness; the required gauge is set by the project design.
Specify the waterproofing and tiling system together with the board, since the board is one layer in a wet-area build-up, not the whole solution.
03 / Applications
Typical applications (general)
The following are common uses for cement boards in interior fit-out. They describe general practice; confirm suitability against the actual product data before specifying.
- Tile backer for shower walls and wet-room walls
- Kitchen and laundry walls behind tiled splash zones
- Service corridors and back-of-house areas exposed to knocks
- Substrate for heavy tiles or stone finishes on stud walls
- Areas inside buildings with frequent wash-down cleaning
Installation
Installation notes (general practice)
Cement boards are typically cut by scoring and snapping or with a saw fitted with a suitable blade, with dust control on site. They are fixed to the frame with corrosion-resistant screws suited to cement board, and joints are reinforced with alkali-resistant mesh tape bedded in a cementitious or tile-adhesive compound rather than paper tape.
Allow the specified gaps at perimeters and movement joints, keep screw heads flush, and apply the waterproofing membrane where required before tiling. Follow the board manufacturer's instructions for spacing and fixings once the product data is confirmed.
Selection pitfalls
Mistakes to avoid
Most cement board problems come from treating it as a drop-in replacement for gypsum board.
- Assuming cement board alone makes a shower watertight
- Using paper joint tape and gypsum compound on cement board joints
- Keeping gypsum-board stud spacing without checking the heavier board
- Using non-corrosion-resistant screws in wet areas
- Specifying sizes or standards before the supplier has confirmed them
Choosing
Requesting Jawdah cement board data
Because Jawdah has not published cement board specifications, send your requirements and ask the team to confirm the product data for your project. Include where the boards will be used, the finish they will carry, the frame you plan to use and any standard named in your specification. Jawdah can supply the drywall framing, gypsum boards and accessories for the rest of the build-up from documented ranges.
04 / Technical
Closer look
Detailed product imagery is being prepared.
In preparationComparison
Cement board compared with Jawdah moisture resistant gypsum board
Jawdah's gypsum range already includes Moisture Resistant (MR) and Fire & Moisture Resistant (FMR) boards for bathrooms, kitchens, laundry and other humid areas. The question for a wet room is therefore not just gypsum or cement, but which zone needs which board.
| Question | Moisture resistant gypsum board (Jawdah MR / FMR) | Cement board (general) |
|---|---|---|
| Humid room, no direct water | Suitable | Possible but usually not needed |
| Direct and repeated wetting | Not intended for standing water | Commonly used with a membrane |
| Finish | Taped, filled and painted, or tiled | Usually tiled or rendered |
| Weight and handling | Lighter; score and snap | Heavier; score, snap or saw |
| Jawdah data | Published: types, sizes, thicknesses, standards | Not yet published; on request |
Key facts
- A cement board is a building board with a cement-based core, generally reinforced with fibres or mesh.
- Cement boards are commonly used as tile backers in showers, wet rooms and other demanding interior areas.
- Cement board is not a waterproofing layer; wet areas normally need a separate membrane.
- Jawdah lists cement boards in its drywall board range, with product data confirmed on request.
- Jawdah's moisture resistant (MR) gypsum boards suit humid rooms where surfaces are not directly and repeatedly wetted.
RFQ / BOQ checklist
- Wet-zone areas (m²) where cement board is required
- Finish to be applied: tile type and weight, or render
- Waterproofing system planned with the board
- Frame type and stud spacing intended
- Required board size and thickness, if specified
- Standards named in the project specification
- Adjacent gypsum board types for the rest of the room
- Delivery location and programme
05 / Resources
Further chapters in preparation
Technical resources
Technical documentation is being prepared for this product.
Projects using this product
Project references are being prepared.
Compatible systems
System relationships for this product are being prepared.
Our technical team can share the current information on request.Ask the technical team
06 / FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Mainly as a rigid backer for tiles and other finishes in wet or demanding interior areas, such as shower walls, wet rooms and back-of-house corridors.
It depends on the zone. Moisture resistant gypsum board suits humid rooms; cement board is generally chosen where surfaces get wet directly and repeatedly or carry heavy tiles.
No. Cement board is not damaged by water in the way gypsum can be, but it is not a watertight layer. Wet areas normally need a separate membrane as part of the tiling system.
Jawdah has not yet published its cement board sizes and thicknesses. Send your project requirements and the team will confirm the available specification.
They are fixed to galvanized stud framing in a similar way, but the heavier board and tile load mean the stud gauge and spacing should be checked by the project design.
Usually only in the wet zones, such as the shower enclosure, with moisture resistant gypsum board on the remaining walls and ceiling and a planned joint between them.
Next step
Ask Jawdah for cement board data
Tell us where the boards will go and what finish they will carry. Jawdah will confirm the cement board specification and supply the framing and gypsum boards for the rest of the room.