# Proper layers of drywall/backer board in shower/bathroom



## cubangt (Jun 22, 2016)

So we are working on remodeling our small bathroom 5x8 in size. Nothing structural is being done, everything is staying in its current locations, just updated and replaced.

All the walls are coming out and plan is to tile the floor and shower with the 12x24 tiles, the shower is the typical shower/tub in one setup. Once i get the new tub, i will be removing the shower walls and surrounding areas. My question is since its a bathroom in the middle of the house with no exterior facing walls, what are the appropriate layers of sheetrock, backer, moisture barrier and so on.. 

From what ive read and seen else where, some install the moisture barrier straight to the 2x4, then some do backer board, with a few coats of sealer. Then i see moisture barrier, green/blue moisture sheetrock, then backer board for the tiles.. is there a reason for sheetrock and backer? Can it be the moisture barrier then backer sealed with the moisture coats?

We are in houston, tx. So being a very hot and humid area to begin with does that play any role in which method to use?

If backer board and moisture coats is ok, what is that sealer called?


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## cubangt (Jun 22, 2016)

Anyone offer any feedback on my question?
From what more i watched lastnight, seems that its normal to install backerboard straight to 2x4 framing and then seal with the moisture membrane of your choice, but redgard was the most common seen in the videos i watched.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

Hold tight, you will get replies from people who have done bathrooms dozens of times. I am just a DIYer, but I did a bathroom last summer. Around the tub, its studs, then cement-board, then red-guard (or equivalent), 2 coats, as per instructions, then tile, then grout, then sealer on the grout. In areas away from tub, moisture resistant drywall can be used.


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## ChiTownPro (May 18, 2014)

Here's what I do:

1) Plane the studs. This means you will need to plane down the studs that crown into the room (bow in) and shim those that crown out of the room. You can rent a planer from HD and purchase drywall shims from them as well. To plane the studs you will need a 48" level and a 24" or 36" level. Place the level across as many studs as possible. Hold the level on both ends and then see if you can rock it back and forth. If you can see which stud it is rocking on. This one you will need to plane down. If your level is sitting on two but not touching others in between you may need to plane the two you are sitting on or shim the ones that have a space. I try to determine how out of square the walls are and favor which ever option (plane or shim) will help correct walls that are not square.

2) Install Denshield or Durock. Denshield is a waterproofed gypsum product and Durock is cement board. Denshield is easier to cut and weighs a lot less. That is what we use in our wet area installations.









We use QUAD OSI between the boards as we install and then use fibafuse fiber mesh tape and a roll on liquid waterproofing membrane (AquaDefense or RedGard) on the corners and seams.

3) Install the tile with a good modified thinset. Spend some time on your layout. Leave a small (1/8") gap between the tub and tile (should be caulked after tile is grouted). I would suggest using a lippage system, but if you are not very comfortable or have some good experience setting tile, I would just set with a level to ensure the least amount of lippage. QEP Lash is a good DIY lippage system.






4) Grout with Mapei FlexColor CQ grout. It is a quartz based grout and highly stain resistant. FOLLOW THE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS!!!

5) Use a good high quality siliconized grout caulk on all plane changes. You can spend $3 on a cheap tube or $15 on a nice tube. You will need to recaulk in a few years if you go the $3 route or 5-7 with a good one. I think it's the dang silliest thing to cheap out on caulk when everyone hates to do it. Cheap caulk means less time between replacement.

If you have any questions shoot me an e-mail. [email protected]


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## cubangt (Jun 22, 2016)

I appreciate the information, steps and materials to consider. Lastnight i bought 2 sheets of sheetrock (Gold Bond Drywall Panel) to start this weekend on the side of the bathroom not having any changes made to it, literally straight flat wall with nothing. I will be installing 2x4 or 2x6 between the studs at towel rack heights to help insure they are installed into wood and not have to use anchors.. but thats about it.. 

So where the durrock meets the standard sheetrock, is there any special care that is needed in those areas?


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

You might consider Kerdi. Makes a lot of things easier. All drywall, no cement board.

By the way, I personally see no need for moisture resistant drywall. Any place that water will constantly be splashing on should be tile, not drywall. And if it's humidity and condensation that's the issue, then fix that.


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## cubangt (Jun 22, 2016)

So ive installed 2 sheets of the wonder board already, have one left to install before buying another 2 to finish up. Reading and watching vids on applying the thinset to the joints and so on, never really found a video or explanation on what to do with the joint between the wonder board and sheetrock, since they will butt up together just outside the tub, do you join the two with thinset? mud? what is the proper application for where the come together?


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## cubangt (Jun 22, 2016)

Im at that point now in the project, just finished installing the wonder board on the shower walls that meet with the sheetrock walls and almost ready for filling in the joints.. need to install the final board on the faucet side, but want to start looking into what needs to happen where the plain sheet rock meets up with the wonder board, from what i can see in videos and pics, its the thinset that is used on that joint.. does it matter at that joint? Can sheet rock mud be used? so that i can leave that for the drywall guy that will come do the entire bathroom.

thanks


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