# Drywall behind bathtub?



## Crisanmom (Sep 20, 2010)

My question is do you put drywall or wonderboard all the way down to the floor behind the bathtub? Or is it going to make it so that the tub does not line up with the drain?


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## 1910NE (Sep 5, 2010)

No reason to run any kind of wall board down behind the tub flange, unless you need to in order to square things up. What kind of tub surround are you going to have? If its going to be tile, remember to compensate for the transition between the tile and the sheet rock.


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## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

Drywall goes down to within 1/2" of the flange on the tub. Wonder board (cement board) on top of the drywall. That give you the extra thickness for your bullnose tile on the edge. Drywall should not sit directly on the tub as it can "wick" moisture and will eventually fall apart (even green board) if the tub is not kept caulked properly.


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## Crisanmom (Sep 20, 2010)

*Thank you*

We are wanting to do tile around the bath tub/shower area. So, we will be heeding the advice that was given here!:thumbsup:


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## retired guy 60 (Jun 23, 2009)

bjbatlanta said:


> Drywall goes down to within 1/2" of the flange on the tub. Wonder board (cement board) on top of the drywall. That give you the extra thickness for your bullnose tile on the edge. Drywall should not sit directly on the tub as it can "wick" moisture and will eventually fall apart (even green board) if the tub is not kept caulked properly.


 There is no need for drywall behind the cement board and I have never heard of it being done that way. Instead, install shims made of thin strips of wood (you can cut your own on a table saw from 2x4s if needed) on top of the existing studs. This will allow the cement board to overlap the tub lip without being curved. For the space below the tub lip I would leave the space uncoverred except for my vapor barrier (plastic sheeting) which lies between the studs and the cement board above the lip. Some pros apply a coating (forgot the name, Home Depot sells it)) on the surface of the cement board (under the tiled surface) which is a vapor barrier in itself and then skip the plastic vapor barrier behind the cement board. Either way works but you can't do both because a double vapor barrier is not recommended.


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