Bathroom drywall question...

StevePax

I know this question had been addressed a million times, but here it is again. My new shower surround has a nailing flange, to attach it directly to the studs. I'll be drywalling over that flange to butt right up against the surround. My shower is at one end of a rectangular bathroom, so it's not an alcove. The walls continue past the shower flange all the way across the bathroom, including a door on one side, and toilet/vanity on the other side. A few question:

1. What do I do with that tiny gap between the drywall and surround? Just caulk it after priming/painting is done? Or fill with mud and then prime and paint? Or...? If I just caulk it, obviously white caulk has to be used (not clear) so the crack isn't visible, right?

2. Where do I put the last screw on that edge up against the flange? I don't really want to screw through the edge of the drywall through the flange and then into the stud - I don't want to risk cracking that surround flange at all. Do I just make sure there is some blocking right next to the flange to screw drywall into, and leave the last 1.25" of the drywall without screws over the flange?

3. What about the front corner of the flange? That is, where the front vertical flange turns a corner at the top of the shower and becomes the top flange? The drywall "bulge" takes a turn there. To make it look as good as possible, should I make sure that I'm just using a single piece of drywall there, or is that vertical a good place for a butt seam?

Let me know what you think, especially if you have installed one of these before, or done drywall around one. Thanks!

pyper

Mud up to it.

Paulie

Mud up to it. Float all the way around with mud. Sand. Then run a bead of caulk between the surround and drywall. Make sure it's a high quality caulk that is paint able. I have used silicone once and the painters were PO'd.

A general rule of thumb is to use caulk between unlike surfaces.

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samj520

Mud all the way around. Prime with oil and then caulk with a paint grade caulk.

Sam Johnson
EverydayFaucets.com

Mop in Hand

If you want it to look flat. Drywall up to the flange. Fill the space with 5 min mud and then flat tape it.

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chrisn

PO'd would be putting it mildly at best! Silicone chalk should be outlawed in the hands of most people, professionals and DIY alike.

StevePax

Has anyone ever actually done this? This would be a huge space to just fill with hot mud, right? I mean, the flange is 1 1/4", and it would be 3/8" deep to bring it out to the same level as the 1/2" drywall all around it. That's a lot of mud, and the flange itself doesn't give much to adhere to, since it's slick and smooth. Thoughts?

Mop in Hand

Some how I get the impression you are not too thrilled with that idea. Another way to go is to shim out the walls with butt shims on the 2x's. This will also appear to be more flat. I would still flat tape it either way. I've done it both ways.

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firehawkmph

This is the way the drywallers always did it when I was building houses. It's also the way I do it now on remodels. It's not a lot of mud. I use the twenty minute variety, which gives you about 5-8 minutes to install it before it starts setting up. I mix it a bit on the thicker side. When it's dry, it's solid as a rock. Don't use premixed joint compound for this.
I have also done what Mophand said below if it's not a big room. Rip some shimstock from 2 x's to match the thickness of the flange. Tack it up and drywall.
Mike Hawkins

bjbatlanta

1. Latex caulk.
2. I wouldn't recommend the quick-set mud/tape method for fill, personally. I'd shim the framing at the flange or just screw through the flange into the framing. Do it all the time and never had a crack. Pre-drill if you're worried about that....
3. Single piece if possible.

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