Durock paper edge—remove it??

[Leap]

When using the new USG Durock cement boards for hearth construction, is it necessary to remove the paper tape covering the edges?

 

[NickW]

That's a very interesting question and one I didn't think of during my install... Seeing as USG recommends not using Durock on surrounds and such (even though it's a common use for it) I cannot find anything in the literature about the edge guard fabric tape.

My Durock isn't covered yet, so I took a lighter to the tape and it immediately melted to nothing. No flame, no nothing, just gone...

I burned all last season and this season so far and there is no visible deterioration on the tape directly adjacent to the ZC fireplace...

This is not any kind of recommendation, just my observations. Kinda kicking myself for not thinking of it myself...

 

[Leap]

I actually tore a piece off myself (and realized as you said it’s more of a thin fabric than paper) and brought it to my outside fire pit to see what fire did to it. Same results as you; I did have a minuscule flame for a second but mostly it just immediately burned up.

Still, I removed it best I could from the side facing up that sits directly under the stove (it was easy to remove on that side, impossible from the other without a razor scraper). Since I’ll be topping with mortar/tile anyway and there’s micore underneath, I’m not going to let it bother me…