It is an older house, built in 83, so I am sure they used greenboard which I have heard isn't that good. I want to use large tiles, 12 X 12. Any ideas would be great thanks.
2007-01-13 06:42:56 · 10 answers · asked by Mike H 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
Cement Board or Hardy-Backer. The Hardy board is really great.
2007-01-13 06:46:54 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Every answer so far has suggested using a cement board, which is by far the easiest solution. However, if you want your wall to have a very solid feeling and sound, you can't beat a floated mortar backing, similar to the scratch coat and brown coat for an exterior stucco wall. Although I'm only a do-it-yourselfer, I've done three showers and a bathtub surround using a mortar backing, and I wouldn't do it any other way. But I'm kind of fussy.
The problem I had using mortar was getting it to stay in place on a vertical surface. You've got to use plastic cement, because it is much stickier, and don't add too much water. Underneath I used 30 pound roofing felt, which overlapped the shower pan and 3/4" J-metal on the sides of the shower butted up to where the drywall ended. I then wrapped self furring wire mesh around the three sides of the shower in one continuous piece and floated a scratch coat all the way from the J-metal on one side to the J-metal on the opposite side. I later floated the brown coat so that the finished mortar surface was about 1/2" out from the lip of the metal. This gave me the spacing I needed to use quarter round pieces of tile on all the edges.
Besides being very solid, an advantage of this construction is that the backing in the corners of the shower is one continuous piece of wire mesh and mortar. You won't have one wall moving in relation to the adjacent wall. This means that you can grout the corners, instead of using the flexible siliconized acrylic tile caulk that is recommended for corners when you use cement board for a backing. However, should you choose to use cement backer board, the following link shows the type of caulk to use:
http://www.custombuildingproducts.com/ProductCatalog/Grout/PolyblendCeramicTileCaulk.aspx?user=diy&lang=en
2007-01-13 17:14:34 · answer #2 · answered by Tech Dude 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As long as the existing surface is sound, you can go right over the existing tile (especially if you are using larger tile) using a polymer modified thinset or suitable adhesive (cheapest option) The best and most expensive, is to strip it all off and use the cement backer board. Greenboard is only "MOISTURE RESISTIVE" any substrate will deteriorate with moisture except the cement stuff so you want to keep the moisture out anyways.
Hope that helps.
p.s. Use the inexpensive poly tile edging if you are going to tile over. Gives a really nice finished look
2007-01-13 06:58:15 · answer #3 · answered by cookinB4U 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Cementboard and it is usually sold in 1/2'' thickness. Local home improvement store should carry this product. It goes on just like greenboard (with screws or nails) and you need a compound to seal the joints. Once this is done, you can tile right over the cementboard.
2007-01-13 12:28:17 · answer #4 · answered by hyster5000 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Use Hardi-Board or any other cement board. Put 4mil plastic behind it to drain into the pan as a vapor barrier. Do not, I repeat, do not use any kind of gypsum product(sheetrock) in any of it's forms. It is my, and others, opinion that overconfidence in "greenboard" and builders ability to be cheap is possibly 25-50% of the mold problem that is happening in this day and age. It is water-resistant, but as soon as you put a nail or screw in it it's compromised.
Also, don't use Mastic. Mastic is acrylic, and prolonged exposure to water will dissolve it.
2007-01-13 07:02:03 · answer #5 · answered by knel320tyler 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Durock cement board or hardy backer and agree with the last answer that hardy backer is the best. It has recessed spots that show you how far apart and where one should screw the hardy backer to wall, floor, etc. Also, when tiling use a mastic thin set and butter (put adhesive on) the tile instead of spreading adhesive to wall.
2007-01-13 06:50:41 · answer #6 · answered by soonerkl69 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
One choice is called either greenboard or blueboard. It is a water resistant drywall material. Not waterPROOF - just water resistant. A better choice might be cement backer board. It's quite heavy, and comes in small size pieces because a full 4X8 sheet would be too heavy to carry.
2007-01-13 06:48:36 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Everybody says use Hardibacker, which I agree, but fail to list the thickness. Use the 1/2". In fact you should replace your greenboard with the hardibacker. For myself, its easier to score and work with than the wonderboard.
2007-01-13 09:06:18 · answer #8 · answered by fidel410 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Use durarock. It is water/moisture resistant so if there's a leak, it won't disintegrate like greenboard.
2007-01-13 06:49:25 · answer #9 · answered by leslie 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hardybacker seems to be the only acceptable surface these days, ask any tiler
2007-01-13 06:49:49 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋