Is H20 resistant sheetrock ok behind an f-glass surround?

Jeffrey H

While I was away on a trip, my wife hired an amateur handyman who's screwed up more than one project she's hired him for previously. She had him remove the existing half-assed shower surround from our master bath tub and replace it with a fiberglass surround and glass doors.

He used moisture resistant sheetrock and latex calk apparently, as there is a leftover sheet of the stuff in the garage.

The door rails leaked on the first shower, partly that and the handle/spout/diverter fittings weren't caulked at all. I've removed the doors and cleaned off the latex caulk which I'll replace with silicone, but am wondering if I'm going to end up removing the surround and replacing the drywall with something like wonderboard or greenboard. If so, how soon?

What -should- go behind the surround, and will the mr sheetrock last at least for a couple of years until I can tile the surround properly?

Termite

Provided you properly caulk all the seams to prevent moisture from getting behind the surround, your MR sheetrock should hold up ok. It is never a good idea, but it won't be a problem until it gets wet. It is prohibited for use behind tile in wet locations.

Jeffrey H

thanks for the tip!

clasact

personally I would take it down now before any moister get behind their and starts to grow mold or even gets to other parts.You stated he did a poor job and have already had leaks so who knows what else he did wrong.Tile is not that expensive so if you do take it down it would be the time to do it your way and do it right.Also green board and Blue board are mold and moister resistant but by no means are the waterproof I believe thats why KC said it is not permitted they are ment for areas that have moister but not directly{like showers) Good Luck

Marlin

Why would you hire this guy after he's already screwed up? Sometimes it's better just to have it done right the first time.

AtlanticWBConst.

This is one of the reasons why there is so much flack against hring a "handyman" for certain house work.

There are some great, skilled, trained, and experienced handymen out there, that really know their stuff, or take the time to get to know it.
However, there are also many, many "Handymen", that have little, to no, construction/remodeling experience, that get involved with projects that they are not qualified nor experienced to do.

If the pumpkin-head used the wrong caulking (d-u-m-b), and installed the shower doors so that they leak, then I wouldn't trust his installation of the shower surround.

My suggestion would be to remove it all. Install a vapor barrier over the studs, install cement board, seal seams with silicone...and re-install the shower surrounds, shower doors, etc...

__________________
- Build Well -

The Housewright

You didn't say anything about the quality of the tub surround, which is the key to the whole thing. If the tub has a lip to "flash" water coming off the surround and the surround has interlocking corners (e.g.,Sterling 71144100-0 surrounds..about $280), the surround is attached directly to the studs and inset in new sheetrock for a better look ( i.e., not glued to the wall, but "installed")
The high price of the paper-thin cheap surrounds has always suprised me; you can spend $100-150 for these and get something that is flimsy, leaks, looks bad (usually lumpy and cheap) and can't be cleaned without scratching. This is a case where you really get what you pay for.
-JAM