# tiling shower wall without cement board?



## DanTheMan (Mar 11, 2013)

Ok so i have been doing a bathroom remodel and kinda just learning as i go. I have the floor replaced and new tile finished. Tub set it with a new shower valve and hardware ready to go for that when i get the walls done. 

Question is, i didnt realize they dont have tile that will roll over the edge of the 1/4" backer board unless you want 1970's white or beige... I planned on using an earth tone 12x12 tile with the bull nose tiles around the edges. Well the bull nose tiles would just go flush to the backer board but go over the edge so i would have a little bit of extra height where the shower tile starts. I COULD run a bead of caulk there and it would probably make it not that noticeable. Or i could just prep the green board i used and tile over that without using the backer board. Would this work? I heard someone from lowes say i should have just bought 1/2" backer board and put against the studs in place of the dry wall but i am not ripping that out again and wasting another weekend.  

My dad has built a house a long time ago and is a diy kinda guy and said he would think it should be just fine tiling over the walls. What is the general consensus? I am sure one is better than the other but can it be done without much issue as long as i dont let and cracks go un fixed?


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## nealtw (Mar 11, 2013)

I would remove the drywall and replace it with 1/2" concrete board.


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## CallMeVilla (Mar 11, 2013)

Neal is right  ....  old school used green board drywall.  It is NOT waterproof and barely water resistant.  The "minimum" approach is concrete board with waterproof strips thinsetted into the joints for best protection.  Waste the weekend because it is NOT worth the future mold problem.

As to your bullnose, I would use grout on the edges to fill the gap.  Lay your bullnose just past the edge then grout.  Make sure ALL your grout lines are sealed three times before using the shower.  I use a cheap kids art brush and work the sealer into all the grout lines.

Good luck  ....  and lose the drywall!


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## nealtw (Mar 11, 2013)

Another option may be to use a deep  medal or plastic trim edge installed first and then the 1/4" board. The trim would hide the board and the edge of the tile.
http://sell.bizrice.com/selling-lea...rim-tile-edging-tile-profile-edging-trim.html


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## DanTheMan (Mar 12, 2013)

thanks for the info guys, yeah i was just wondering bc my dad says he used green board on his shower remodel about 12 years ago and its still going. I have an uncle that is a plumber and he was saying pretty much what you guys said that green board was the standard in the 70's and they have started using the cement board.


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## nealtw (Mar 13, 2013)

Evan with cement board I like Red Guard or simular sealer. Paint on before you tile.


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## Sparky723 (Mar 13, 2013)

I'm not a tile guy but I did the same thing and I'm learning it was "wrong".
I put Blue rock AND durarock, obviously I now have the same problem as you. However, my shower has been tiled already, I have a bigger gap on the outside edge that's too big for grout. That will look worse. 
Get a piece of 3/4" pvc quarter round (lowes), paint desired color,  put WP adhesive on it and put on edge. Fills nicely and looks good too.
Easy, good looking fix.
If you haven't tiled yet, I'd remove cement board and drywall then reinstall cement board to stud.
Paint on 2 coats of WP membrane.
Let dry, then tile.


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## bud16415 (Mar 13, 2013)

I haven&#8217;t done a tile shower in a long time and the technology has changed a lot.

If I was going to do one I would follow one of these systems or similar. 

http://www.schluter.com/products.aspx

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFGHiDX7hHU[/ame]


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## Fireguy5674 (Mar 13, 2013)

Schulter is a good product but a bit expensive.  I would go with Neal's suggestion,  Put up 1/2" cement board, tape joints with fiber mesh tape, coat joints with thinset and then two coats of Red Guard waterproofer.  You can tile over this and even if your grout joints leak a little, the moisture will stay in your shower and not in your walls.  Red Guard is much easier to work with just starting out as well.


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## joneriq (Apr 22, 2013)

i  have a bath tub with a lil problem maybe some one can give me a pointer alright the soap dish was scewed to the tile but it has come off pulling the tile and sheet rock off wats a east way to fix it?


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## nealtw (Apr 22, 2013)

This dosn't sound like a quick fix will do here. Does this tub include a shower?


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