# Blue Board



## K2eoj (Aug 14, 2005)

georgetax said:


> I am putting in a new bathroom. I was told that instead of green board to use blue board, it's better. I was searching to find out what blue board is and it seems it is only used when you are plastering, which I am not. I just wish to paint it. Any Ideas on this!!!.....thanks so much


What I know as blue board is not what you want. Here is a disussion on some bathroom wall boards that might help until someelse comes along here. http://www.diychatroom.com/showthread.php?t=1112&highlight=green+board


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## pipeguy (Nov 22, 2004)

georgetax said:


> I am putting in a new bathroom. I was told that instead of green board to use blue board, it's better. I was searching to find out what blue board is and it seems it is only used when you are plastering, which I am not. I just wish to paint it. Any Ideas on this!!!.....thanks so much


Don't use blue board unless you're plastering. Greenboard is good for bathroom walls unless you're tiling a wet area in which case I'd use cement board (Durarock, etc.). I've even been told that standard sheet rock is preferred for bathroom ceilings over greenboard - though I've never heard why that is.

Production home builders won't even use green board on all the bathrrom walls - just those in wet areas up to the splash line. My 1967 bathroom walls went 30+ years without any issues despite being standard drywall. (and the bathrooms weren't even vntilated).


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## mighty anvil (Oct 5, 2005)

"blue board" is a veneer plaster system where a thin (1/16" +) coat of plaster is trowelled on GWB that has an special blue/grey paper surface. There is no taping or sanding since the veneer coat covers the joints which are reinforced with mesh strips and the finish is ready for paint after it has set up. The surface is much harder than taped GWB and holds paint much better. It was designed for commercial projects, especially apartments and dormitories where a tougher finish was needed. Here in Boston it is so common that it is cheaper than taped GWB but I tried to use it in central CT and they had never heard of it.

http://www.usg.com:80/navigate.do?r...s/prod_details/IMPERIAL_Brand_Gypsum_Base.htm


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## Bonus (Aug 25, 2005)

I understand you don't use greenboard on ceilings because it is denser/heavier and can sag between the joists.


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## mighty anvil (Oct 5, 2005)

At the risk of sounding cynical, I don't know of any good use for green board. There's nothing wrong with standard GWB in a bathroom if you paint it properly. If you have reason to think thee will be a great deal humidity in the room you should consider Humitek or DensArmor, etc.


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## pipeguy (Nov 22, 2004)

mighty anvil said:


> At the risk of sounding cynical, I don't know of any good use for green board...


I'm glad to hear from a design professional something I've suspected for some years. My suspicion was only reinforced after gutting my bathroom and finding no deterioration in the original [newly acquired acronymn to
follow ] GWB. Even within the shower enclosure the wall board was entirely intact.


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## mighty anvil (Oct 5, 2005)

Regular GWB can last a long time behind tile in a tub/shower if the board is held up 1/4" at the tub rim and the tile is silicone caulked at the bottom and at the corners and the tile is sealed with a good sealer every couple of years and if the shower is ventilated well enough that it dries out between uses. But even with those precautions it will not last as long as most people expect it to so it is best to use a cement backer board. To save money and labor it is possible to install it at the bottom half of the wall since that is by far the most likely area of failure.


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