Press Release
South & City College Birmingham Firmly Cement Hardiebacker® Cement Backerboard Into
All Their Tiling Courses.
The tile industry is changing rapidly, with new products and exciting technologies coming on
board faster than ever before.
For the next generation of tilers who are currently learning their trade, it’s vital they are up
to date with the latest developments, and one West Midlands College is working with
leading industry player James Hardie to make sure this happens.
As a new generation of tilers at South and City College Birmingham are now discovering, the
days of tiling directly on to plasterboard or plywood are numbered.
Plasterboard and plywood can contribute towards tile failure that can be very expensive to
fix. Students at the college are learning to avoid these costly repairs by using HardieBacker®
Cement Backerboard for tile and stone.
For tiling tutors at the college, it makes perfect sense to be introducing their students to the
latest industry-leading innovations. Tutor Carl Goulden – who has been in the tiling industry
for over 20 years after he entered the trade as an apprentice as a 16-year-old – says it’s a
“superb” product and the ideal replacement for plywood and plasterboard.
Carl said: “I’m passionate about the industry and about making sure that our students have
good knowledge of the latest products. I’m in my third year of teaching tiling now and I’m
already seeing things change as new products come on to the market. It’s our job to keep up
to date with the tiling industry.”
Carl enjoys working with James Hardie; the college now firmly cements their products into
all their tiling courses.
“It’s a superb product,” Carl said, “and a great replacement for plasterboard or plywood.
It’s really been making a name for itself in the industry, so it’s important that we get
students using it because they’ll no doubt be using it out in the real world.”
“It’s a lot more durable than plasterboard or plywood and repels water, so it won’t rot. It’s
extremely strong, too, with really good weight limits.”
In fact, Hardiebacker® Cement Backerboard can hold up to 100kg per square metre – that’s
three times stronger than plasterboard, which typically holds just 32kg/m2.
HardieBacker® Cement Backerboard should be used anywhere where tile is applied – on
floors, walls and even countertops. It should especially be used in wet areas like bathrooms,
for a shower wall or a bathroom floor, where they are exposed to extreme moisture.
Press Release
Unlike plasterboard and plywood, Hardiebacker® Cement Backerboard has been specifically
designed for tiling in wet areas and is water and mould-resistant. It won’t rot, warp or swell
when exposed to water, and the Mouldblock® technology protects jobs from dangerous
mould growth.
It is recommended to use 6mm HardieBacker® Cement Backerboard for floors and 12mm
HardieBacker® Cement Backerboard for walls.
As James Hardie say – ‘Do it once, do it right’.
South and City College Birmingham tutor, Harry Beattie, agrees. He said: “A tile failure
caused by plywood or plasterboard can be expensive. It is important students understand
that using the best products can actually save them money in the end. That's why we
include products such as HardieBacker in our training programme. ”
Key facts about HardieBacker® board
10 year
limited
warranty
Certifications
Water resistant
Made of 90% Portland cement and sand with selected additives and 10%
cellulose fibre; rot-proof.
Mould resistant
Incorporated MouldblockTM Technology.
Strongest on market
Able to hold 100kg/m2 hanging weight.
Easy to install
No primer required; easy to score and snap.
Full copy available from James Hardie.
CE approved and British Board of Agrément certified.
For more information on Hardiebacker® Cement Backerboard for tile and stone, call 0800
0683103 or email info.europe@jameshardie.com There is lots more information about
James Hardie on their website at www.jameshardie.co.uk, where you can also find your
local supplier.
You can find out more about South and City College Birmingham at www.sccb.ac.uk
The college provides vocational education to around 12,000 students through hundreds of
courses, from Level 1 to higher education. The college has nine main campuses across
Birmingham, including its specialist construction centre in Bordesley Green.
Press Release
The college’s wall and floor tiling team offer the CSkills Diploma from Level 1 to 3, training
the next generation of tilers in and around the second city. It also offers NVQ in Tiling Level
3 for people looking to extend their skills to an advanced level. The college is the largest
training provider for tilers in the country and the department is working towards an
‘Excellent’ accreditation from industry body The Tile Association.
PHOTO CAPTION
Level 2 Diploma student Mihail Dachev using Hardiebacker® Cement Backerboard at South
and City College Birmingham
***ENDS *** 797 WORDS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes for editor:


James Hardie is the pioneer in the development of fibre-cement technology, and the
world leader in designing and manufacturing a wide range of fibre-cement building
products that make use of the benefits that come from the product’s durability,
versatility and strength.
The company operates in markets around the world, with manufacturing operations
and offices in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Europe.
PR/media enquiries contact:
Smart Marketing Works Ltd
40 High Street
Stone
Staffordshire
Contact: Kay Porter
Office Tel: 01785 819933
Mobile: 07968 234013
Email: kay@smartmarketingworks.com