[jackhandle2]

I plan on installing cement board behind a wood burning open stove on an outside deck.
Do I need backing behing the cement board and can it be colored using high temp paint?

[ballengerb1]

Cement board is pretty strong material but it is not designed to be exposed to the eliments. Sounds like you are trying to protect a flamible surface from the heat of the stove. I once did this by making a low wall of stacked bricks. It looked pretty good and protecetd the wood railings but you could not lean on it. A friend of mine later improved the wall by glueing the bricks with a caulk tube morter.