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Use an appropriate waterproof or moisture-resistant backing material behind grouted tile or stone or segmented plastic or fiberglass tub and shower surrounds. Appropriate materials include cement board which has a cementitious core and glass mats on both sides to strengthen the board.
Do you put drywall behind a shower surround?
Fiberglass and acrylic tub and shower enclosures come with a flanged edge that attaches directly to the wall studs, and the proper way to hide this flange is to install drywall over it. Consequently, enclosures are typically installed on the bare studs.
Should you put plastic behind shower walls?
They are required beneath your shower pan and behind your shower walls. Moisture barriers can be made of polyethylene or a membrane that is rolled directly onto the drywall. No matter what they are made of, without them, your shower is subject to moisture damage.
Which is better durock or Hardibacker?
Durock is too abrasive and can damage vinyl, porcelain, and enamel. HardieBacker does not contain any course materials, so it is the preferable choice. It has a warranty that extends over the use of vinyl tile applications. Durock does not.
What is the best backer board for a shower?
Cement board is a good, reliable backer board that works well on both floors and walls. Keep in mind that most tile setters err on the side of caution and brush a waterproofing membrane on top of cement board when it is in wet areas like showers or tub surrounds.
Do I need vapor barrier behind Hardibacker?
Hardibacker doesn’t need a vapor barrier or waterproofing except you do need to tape and thinset the joints.
Do you caulk a shower surround?
Plastic shower surrounds are sealed along inside seams with siliconized caulk. The caulk prevents water from leaking past the seams into the framing behind the surround. Through use and age, the caulk may become dry, rotted or moldy.
How big of a gap can you caulk?
Fill gaps up to 1/4 inch in width with caulk. If you have tile on the wall adjoining the tub, select a caulk that matches the color of the grout. If your gap is smaller than 1/8 inch in width, use regular caulk; fill gaps larger than 1/8 inch with a sanded caulk.
Should you caulk a tub surround?
As with any other gap near your bathtub, you’ll want to close the opening to prevent any possible water damage or the onset of mold and mildew. Since you are joining two different materials together, you should use caulk in the space where the floor tile and tub meet.
What kind of drywall goes over shower surround?
Greenboard is a term that’s occasionally used for a type of drywall that is used for walls in damp but not wet zones in a building. Originally, greenboard was used as a direct backer board for ceramic tile in highly wet areas such as showers or bathtubs but this usage began to be phased out in the 1990s.
How do you tile over a shower surround?
How to Attach Tile to Drywall Above a Shower Surround Step 1: Create a Template. Step 2: Lay Out Your Tile Pattern. Step 3: Cut Edge Tiles. Step 4: Create Chalk Lines. Step 5: Apply Tile Glue. Step 6: Attach the Tiles. Step 7: Make Additional Chalk Lines. Step 8: Finish Attaching Tiles.
Can you use Hardibacker in shower?
3 Answers. 1/4″ hardibacker alone is an unsuitable substrate for shower wall tile. If it were attached to properly waterproofed drywall, plywood, or plaster it would be fine. Think about it, one wayward elbow, knee, or hip bump and you may get flexion which would cause the grout (or tile) to crack.
What side of the Hardibacker faces out?
Which side goes up, smooth or rough? Either is acceptable, but we recommend that the smooth side with the nailing pattern of every 8″ on center go up. What subfloor should HardieBacker® cement board be installed over?.
Do I really need Thinset under backer board?
Not only is thinset a critical component underneath cement board but the other critical component is the fasteners. And you won’t have the fasteners if you are trying to install it over concrete.
Do you need green board behind shower surround?
Special protection is needed behind showers and tubs to prevent moisture from seeping into the wall structure. Non-paper-faced fiber-reinforced gypsum board, moisture-resistant gypsum board, or “green board” products are also not recommended behind tub surrounds (BSC 2009a).
Do I need to waterproof cement board in shower?
Whether you’re laying down a new tile floor or installing a shower, you may use a sheathing material such as backerboard. Although most backerboards currently available won’t fall apart when exposed to moisture and are somewhat water-resistant, they aren’t waterproof.
What goes behind tile in shower?
Whenever installing tile in any area of your house, you need a special substrate, or base layer. In showers, the standard substrate is tile backer, also called cement board or cement backer board.
Should you put plastic behind Cementboard?
Their online instructions/diagrams show no use of a vapor barrier. You should, so that any moisture that gets behind the cement board runs into the tub or shower instead of into your wall cavity (causing rot or mold/mildew).
What do I put behind cement board?
Because cement board can be used either for floors or walls, the surface below the cement board will vary: Flooring: For ceramic tile floors, the cement board usually rests on a plywood subfloor (minimum 5/8-inch-thick exterior-grade plywood or OSB).
Does backer board go over tub flange?
ANSWER – No there should not be a gap between the top of the bathtub flange and the backer board on the wall. The backer board should overlap the tub flange so the tile has a stable backing to attach to. This requires shimming the backer board out from the studs so the wall is plumb.
Do you caulk a 3 piece shower surround?
2 Answers. You probably don’t need to, as the lap in the surround design will drain water effectively. However, those are traps for mildew and grime. I’d clean them as deeply as you reasonably can with rubbing alcohol, then put in a bead of 100% white silicone.
