"Tony" wrote in message
...
there's level, and then there's flat. you only need flat to tile on, it
doesn't have to be level, although it's nice if it is.

you prevent unlevel-ness by attaching boards to both sides of the room and
having a long enough straight edge that it spans the width and rides on
the
boards.

it's nbd if it's a little off level. it is a bd if it is off being flat.

Also, is this what everyone refers to as Mudding?

no. mudding is laying down a thick bed of mortar and using that as a base
instead of plywood and hardibacker.


I am not concerned about the floor being completely level. It is not flat,
so I guess it is a big
deal. If I lay a level across the floor, there is anywhere from 1/4 - 1/2"
difference. If I lay a
tile down, it rocks back and forth. Is there a way to do this with
hardibacker board or is mud my
only and easiest answer?

Tony

you cannot flatten a floor with hardibacker, as it is flexible and will
conform to the floor that already exists when you lay it down. you need a
product that is non-flexible or will conform to the floor unevenness on one
side, but will remain flat on the other side. the ways to do that are to
either rip up the entire floor down to the joists and build it up again
shimming the floor to make it flat, or put a moldable material on top to
make it flat. THAT is what we've been trying to tell you.