Skeewbacker vs. Wedi vs. Cement Board: Which Mosaic Backer Is Best?

One of the wonderful things about mosaic art is its durability. Mosaics made from glass, ceramic, china and stone can last for generations—but the beautiful materials you see on the surface are only part of the story. 

What you put your mosaic on matters, too.

Choosing the right mosaic backer, also called a substrate, is especially important for projects that will be outdoors or exposed to moisture. Three options mosaic artists commonly consider are cement board, Wedi board and Skeewbackers.

So, what's the difference—and which is best for your mosaic project?

Cement Board

Cement board has been used for tile installations for many years. It is made from cement combined with reinforcing fibers and is commonly sold in large sheets at home improvement and building supply stores.

Advantages

• Strong and rigid
• Moisture resistant
• Suitable for many indoor and outdoor applications
• Relatively inexpensive

Disadvantages

• Heavy
• Messy to cut
• Produces cement dust
• Difficult to cut into decorative shapes
• Not waterproof by itself
• Large sheets can be cumbersome for smaller art projects

Cement board can be a practical choice for permanent architectural installations, but its weight and difficulty in cutting can make it less convenient for decorative mosaic artwork.

Wedi Board

Wedi board is a lightweight building panel with an extruded polystyrene foam core and a cement-based reinforced coating.

Unlike cement board, Wedi is waterproof and considerably lighter, making it popular with both tile installers and mosaic artists.

Advantages

• Waterproof
• Lightweight
• Suitable for wet areas
• Can be cut into shapes
• Suitable for many indoor and outdoor projects

Disadvantages

• More expensive than cement board
• Primarily manufactured as a construction/tile installation product
• Cutting detailed decorative shapes can require additional work
• Messy fibers on the edges are hard to trim away

For mosaic artists, Wedi offers many advantages over traditional cement board, particularly when weight and water exposure are concerns.

Skeewbackers (Hydroban Board)

Skeewbackers are waterproof foam-core mosaic backers created specifically with mosaic artists and makers in mind.

Rather than purchasing a large construction panel and cutting it down yourself, Skeewbackers are available ready to mosaic in a wide variety of sizes and decorative shapes.

They have a high-density waterproof extruded polystyrene core with a reinforced waterproof membrane on both sides. The result is an exceptionally lightweight, rigid surface that's ready for your creativity.

Advantages

• Waterproof
• Rot-proof
• Extremely lightweight
• Suitable for indoor and outdoor mosaics
• Easy to handle
• Available in ready-to-use sizes
• Available in squares, rectangles, circles and decorative shapes
• No cement dust
• No fiberglass mesh edges to trim
• Easy to hang compared with heavy cement-based backers
• Precision cut for clean, finished edges

For mosaic artists who don't want to cut and prepare construction materials before they can start creating, this can be a significant advantage.

What Is the Best Backer for an Outdoor Mosaic?

For an outdoor mosaic, the substrate needs to tolerate moisture and changing weather conditions.

Traditional cement board is moisture resistant rather than inherently waterproof, while foam-core waterproof boards such as Wedi and Skeewbackers provide a waterproof substrate.

This makes waterproof foam-core backers especially appealing for mosaic wall art, garden art and other decorative projects that may be exposed to rain or humidity.

Remember that an outdoor mosaic is a complete system. Your tesserae, adhesive and grout must also be appropriate for exterior use and your particular climate.

What Is the Lightest Mosaic Backer?

Weight can make a surprisingly big difference, especially when you're creating a large mosaic that will eventually hang on a wall.

Cement board is considerably heavier than foam-core backers. Once you add tile, adhesive and grout, a large cement-board mosaic can become very heavy.

Skeewbackers start out exceptionally lightweight, more so than even wedi board, helping keep the finished artwork easier to handle, transport and hang.

This is particularly helpful for large wall mosaics and home décor projects.

Which Mosaic Backer Is Easiest to Cut Into Shapes?

This is another area where the type of substrate makes a big difference.

Cement board works well for straight-edged architectural installations, but it isn't ideal when you want a butterfly, bird, flower, animal or other decorative shape.

Foam-core boards are much easier to shape.

And with Skeewbackers, we've already done the cutting for you.

Our backers are precision cut into everything from classic squares, rectangles and circles to animals, flowers, seasonal designs and other decorative shapes. That means you can skip cutting the substrate and move on to the fun part—creating your mosaic.

So, Which Mosaic Backer Should You Choose?

There isn't one substrate that's best for every possible mosaic.

Cement board can be a good economical choice for permanent installations where weight and ease of cutting aren't major concerns.

Wedi board provides a lightweight, waterproof alternative and is widely used for tile installations and mosaic projects.

Skeewbackers are an excellent choice when you want a lightweight, waterproof mosaic substrate that's already cut to the size or shape you need.

For decorative mosaic art—particularly wall art, home décor and outdoor projects—we believe the convenience of starting with a ready-to-mosaic backer makes a big difference.

Instead of spending your creative time measuring, cutting, sanding and preparing a construction board, you can start with the shape you want and get right to the mosaic.

Why We Created Skeewbackers

Skeewbackers were developed with mosaic artists in mind.

We wanted a backer that was lightweight, waterproof and easy to work with—but we also wanted artists to have access to interesting shapes and useful sizes without having to cut them themselves.

Today, Skeew offers waterproof mosaic backers in squares, rectangles, circles, decorative shapes and large panels, some with patterns laser-printed right on them, giving artists a ready-to-use foundation for projects ranging from small home décor pieces to large mosaic wall art.

Your mosaic may last for generations. Give it a foundation designed to last, too.