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yet another cement board question

3K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  ratherbefishing 
#1 ·
hi all,
new member here.
let me start off with my situation. Tiles in my shower decided to just fall off.
after checking into why, i discovered that the tile was installed using construction adhesive and not from properly using thinset.
after tearing all the tile down i have was appears to be cement board ontop of drywall.

now i have read other replies on this site about the same topic, a bit older but i just want to make sure i understand correctly what i read. So here goes my questions..

#1 to make up the thickness of the old drywall, cement board and the title combo that was removed i would like to put it back that way to maintain the thickness so there isnt a gap between my wall and tub, so if i put drywall up i need plastic sheeting on top of the drywall, then on goes the cement board. Am i correct on this? if not please correct me.

#2 if this is not a good idea, how can i maintain the thickness of the drywall, cement board and the tile without leaving a gap between the wall and tub.

#3 is it regular drywall that was used for behind the cement board or is there special drywall to use in a bathroom?

#4 im considering redoing the other wall (across from the tub, it has ugly tile on them) is regular drywall ok to use for this or do i need a special drywall for this as well?

im handy at the DIY stuff, but taking on a re-tile is new for me.

would appreciate any step by steps anyone can provide
 
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#2 ·
There should be no drywall behind the tile board in the wet area, remove it all down to the studs.
Shim all the walls on the back and sides enough so the tile board can end up being over the lip of the tub.
Make sure to use 1/2 tile board.
Once it's up you need to seal all the screws with thin set and tape all the seams with webed tile board tape and thin set. Just as if you were doing a drywall seam.
Then all the board needs to be water proofed with Red Guard.
More and more countys are asking for paperless sheetrock in bathrooms.
Any place your going to install tile it would be best to use tile board.
But Denshield drywall would also work in any non wet areas.
 
#3 ·
Are you saying that you need 1 inch of thickness? (1/2" drywall + 1/2" cement board). Look into a surface waterproofing product like Kerdi or Noble. or you could use a brush on product, like Joe suggested. Kerdi is acceptable over drywall, so you could use 2 layers of drywall. I think I'd rather furr out 1/2" with wood, then use 1/2" cement board. Then waterproof the whole thing.

Or, 1/2" wood, waterproofing such as felt or plastic, overlapping the tub edge, then cement board and tile. that's how it's been done for years.
 
#4 · (Edited)
i think its more like 3/4" (1/4" drywall and 1/2" cementboard)

when you say waterproof, are these products you suggest to use like a paint on application?
you are talking a bit above my knowledge in this area.

any chance to dumb it down for me?
im not a pro nor do i have the funds to hire one, but i do want this to be done the right way.

i saw a thread in here (cant find it now...) that said something about putting up plastic 6mil sheet.

what do you think of this?

whats best, hardie backer or durock?
 
#5 ·
Back in the old days, a water proof sheet was hung on the studs and cement board was nailed on. The the tile was installed. Grout and cement board are porous, but the sheet protected the wood framing. The new, but not universal, way to do it is to attach the backerboard, then waterproof it between the tiles and backerboard. New style waterproofing products can be in the form of a brush on, polymer paint such as Redguard or others, or a sheet membrane such as Kerdi or Noble Seal. The Floor Elf explains it better than me. http://floorelf.com/library

So, there are several ways to fix what you've got. Do a little research (Floor Elf E-book) and decide what makes sense to you and fits your budget/expertise.

I'm just about to get into building my first shower. I've decided to use Kerdi. I'm sure I'll post my adventures here.
 
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