So we are having the shower (over tub) redone in our new place.
we don't know much about all this, but we have heard that there are basically two ways to set the new tile on the shower walls. It is a very old building (built about 1900), and a number of contractors have told us that the old way of setting the tile was to put a concrete mud on the walls first. They claim that this is the best for old buildings and that is the way it is "supposed" do be done. However, other people have said that concrete backed board will work just fine, and it is much cheaper. i have a tile guy that comes highly recommended, and he swears by concrete backed board. So we are going with that. concrete backed board, not the concrete mud (called "Scratch and Brown" maybe?).
Since we are going with the concrete backed board, the only question that remains is how to propperly prep the walls for the board. I have heard a few different things from different people and i am now thoroughly confused.
Our wall contractor (who is ripping out the existing walls to the studs and building a little shelf at the back of the tub) says that if if he sheetrocks, once the tile guy puts up the concrete backed board it will be too thick. so he said he would just apply two layers of Fort Fiber 60 minute paper to the framing and the concrete backed board could be applied over that.
A different wall contractor (the one we are not going with because his bid was twice as much) said he would put in a Bituthene waterproofing membrane 12" high around the tub, put in a new paper membrane (which i assume is like the Fort Fiber 60), AND greenboard sheetrock around the tub.
Our tile guy said he usually just puts up the concrete backed board over the sheetrock (i assume he means the greenboard sheetrock, but i guess he could mean regular sheetrock).
The woman at the tile store told me to make sure that, if we are using concrete backed board, that we DO NOT use greenboard sheetrock under it, and instead coat the studs in a waterproof sealant and wrap them in roofing felt, and apply the concrete backer board directly to the studs.
so as you can see, i don't know who to believe. now i am sure that there is more than one way to skin a cat, but i just don't want to give anyone the wrong instruction. i want to make sure that the wall guys finish the walls in the best way so that the tile guy can come in, put up his concrete backed board, and instal the tile.
of course, i don't want the shower to leak. i don't want the tiles to fall off. but truth be told, we will probably be in this place for about 5 years and it is entirely possible that the next people will redo the bathroom. so it doesn't have to last 100 years.
so, anyone know the best way to prep the walls for concrete backed board?
any advice on what to do (or what NOT to do) would be great.
thanks.
E
we don't know much about all this, but we have heard that there are basically two ways to set the new tile on the shower walls. It is a very old building (built about 1900), and a number of contractors have told us that the old way of setting the tile was to put a concrete mud on the walls first. They claim that this is the best for old buildings and that is the way it is "supposed" do be done. However, other people have said that concrete backed board will work just fine, and it is much cheaper. i have a tile guy that comes highly recommended, and he swears by concrete backed board. So we are going with that. concrete backed board, not the concrete mud (called "Scratch and Brown" maybe?).
Since we are going with the concrete backed board, the only question that remains is how to propperly prep the walls for the board. I have heard a few different things from different people and i am now thoroughly confused.
Our wall contractor (who is ripping out the existing walls to the studs and building a little shelf at the back of the tub) says that if if he sheetrocks, once the tile guy puts up the concrete backed board it will be too thick. so he said he would just apply two layers of Fort Fiber 60 minute paper to the framing and the concrete backed board could be applied over that.
A different wall contractor (the one we are not going with because his bid was twice as much) said he would put in a Bituthene waterproofing membrane 12" high around the tub, put in a new paper membrane (which i assume is like the Fort Fiber 60), AND greenboard sheetrock around the tub.
Our tile guy said he usually just puts up the concrete backed board over the sheetrock (i assume he means the greenboard sheetrock, but i guess he could mean regular sheetrock).
The woman at the tile store told me to make sure that, if we are using concrete backed board, that we DO NOT use greenboard sheetrock under it, and instead coat the studs in a waterproof sealant and wrap them in roofing felt, and apply the concrete backer board directly to the studs.
so as you can see, i don't know who to believe. now i am sure that there is more than one way to skin a cat, but i just don't want to give anyone the wrong instruction. i want to make sure that the wall guys finish the walls in the best way so that the tile guy can come in, put up his concrete backed board, and instal the tile.
of course, i don't want the shower to leak. i don't want the tiles to fall off. but truth be told, we will probably be in this place for about 5 years and it is entirely possible that the next people will redo the bathroom. so it doesn't have to last 100 years.
so, anyone know the best way to prep the walls for concrete backed board?
any advice on what to do (or what NOT to do) would be great.
thanks.
E