Can you put tile directly on top of green board in a shower or do you have to also use cement board?

Answer 1

With all due respect to ANY who answer, and after installing multiple thousands of sq. ft. of tile, and remodeling more bathrooms than much else; I'd like to scrap GREEN Board for use where water directly affects it.

CAN YOU?........... is a question I answer so often here, in this manner..."YES"... but I add WHY... often.

I'm going to assume GREEN board already exists,,,sigh, and so to tear it out seems silly at least. YES...DO concrete backer board, in any area where water will be an issue, when tile is the finish material.

I want to impress on you that STUFF is "HYPED" in order to sell it.

I haven't used Green Board in a very long time; and the only call backs I ever get are, "Can you come and do MORE work."

Steven Wolf

Even in the trades; "evolution" happens

ADD ON: THANK YOU George

Answer 2

Yes you can. Cement board has not been around all that long, and people used to tile over green board. Now that cement board is available at every building supply in the world, there is no reason to use green board. All it is , is a moisture resistant blue board. If water gets through your grout lines, you end up with a sponge in your wall. The only place I might use it, is on the ceiling of a shower stall.

Answer 3

Green Board In Shower

Answer 4

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You answered most of your own question. Most all plumbers and people who install tubs dont support the edges properly w/ 1x2 s or 1x4s plus they don t screw the flange into the studs . You ll never stop the flexing completely but doing a few extras will help. I have a suggestion that people don t or wont do to protect from water the best. That is to put on green board and THEN put on a cement backer board. You have to get a tile w/ a special tile that has a return trim.(A4200 or A106 is the 2 most common) Not all tiles have this so you may have to properly set cement board ( w/ a vapor barrier) directly to the studs. Any other questions you can e mail me thru my avatar and check my qualifications GL

Answer 5

i would not use this junk in a shower green board is nothing but sheet rock you could take it out and use cement board instead or use cement boards on top of the sheet rock that has green paper on it what ever you do do not put the tile directly on that (green board) it does not hold up in a wet area like that. good luck

Answer 6

The reason you need the cement board is because it is considered a rigid or "static" material, just like the tile or marble you intend to install. You want to remove all "flex" from the floor. Otherwise, any weight applied to it, like walking, will cause the slightest flex under your feet. You can remove the "flex" with either thick enough plywood, or concrete board. The single layer under your old floor isn't enough. The tile will not bend because it is rigid and static, and so is the grout between the tile, but the grout is a very small thin strip, easy to break if slightly bent. The tile will actually act like a lever when the floor beneath it flexes, the grout joints between the tile will give up and crack, and eventually break out from between the tiles.

Answer 7

yes you can use green board directly.. but everything has to be sealed very well.. for the extra cost it might be better to use the cement board.. how long do you want it to last?

Answer 8

I was told that you can put it right on green board. This was told to me by my neighbor who is in construction