ourzoo
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After 50 years, it's time for my tired old bathroom to be renewed. The room is only 5' by 7', with a sink, toilet and tub/shower. Five of us live in the house with five showers per day - lots of moisture.
I plan go back to the studs and start fresh, but I'm not sure about how to approach wallboard and vapor barrier selection.
A bit of background: One wall of the bathroom is on an outside wall (southwest) and the ceiling is exposed to the attic. I will have a 70 CFM ventilator fan in the ceiling. There is a double hung window in the tub/shower area. The outside walls are standard 16" OC 2x4 framing. Ceiling lumber is 16" OC.
After reading this and many other forums, I have some ideas about wall material selection but I don't have the whole picture. I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts you have on this. Here's what I'm thinking:
- For the tub area, prior to tub installation, insulate the outside wall with R13 insulation, slice the insulation's vapor barrier, and install a poly (moisture resistant rated) vapor barrier from floor to ceiling. Run the poly vapor barrier continuously on all three walls in the tub shower area. Install the tub and use HardieBacker anywhere tile will be installed in the Tub/Shower area.
- In the tub area, above the HardiBacker (about 2 feet), to the ceiling, install 1/2" mold resistant drywall?? Question - will water vapor pass through the drywall and condense on the poly vapor barrier, destroying the wallboard?
- For the ceiling, install a poly vapor barrier, and install 1/2" mold resistant drywall. Install insulation batts from the attic side.
- For all other areas in the bathroom, install 1/2" mold resistant drywall over studs with no moisture barrier.
Because of the heavy bathroom use, I will likely install tile on the walls outside the tub area up to about 48" from the floor.
Am I on track? Also is there any need for special paint for the walls to block moisture?
Thanks - r/Tom
I plan go back to the studs and start fresh, but I'm not sure about how to approach wallboard and vapor barrier selection.
A bit of background: One wall of the bathroom is on an outside wall (southwest) and the ceiling is exposed to the attic. I will have a 70 CFM ventilator fan in the ceiling. There is a double hung window in the tub/shower area. The outside walls are standard 16" OC 2x4 framing. Ceiling lumber is 16" OC.
After reading this and many other forums, I have some ideas about wall material selection but I don't have the whole picture. I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts you have on this. Here's what I'm thinking:
- For the tub area, prior to tub installation, insulate the outside wall with R13 insulation, slice the insulation's vapor barrier, and install a poly (moisture resistant rated) vapor barrier from floor to ceiling. Run the poly vapor barrier continuously on all three walls in the tub shower area. Install the tub and use HardieBacker anywhere tile will be installed in the Tub/Shower area.
- In the tub area, above the HardiBacker (about 2 feet), to the ceiling, install 1/2" mold resistant drywall?? Question - will water vapor pass through the drywall and condense on the poly vapor barrier, destroying the wallboard?
- For the ceiling, install a poly vapor barrier, and install 1/2" mold resistant drywall. Install insulation batts from the attic side.
- For all other areas in the bathroom, install 1/2" mold resistant drywall over studs with no moisture barrier.
Because of the heavy bathroom use, I will likely install tile on the walls outside the tub area up to about 48" from the floor.
Am I on track? Also is there any need for special paint for the walls to block moisture?
Thanks - r/Tom