honda1998civic
Well-known member
Concrete backer board smooth side or rough goes to studs?
Concrete backer board smooth side or rough goes to studs?
- Thread starter honda1998civic
- Start date
farphle
Well-known member
Smooth side to the studs. Look at the tapered edges if yours has them.
Last edited:
JCfreak
Well-known member
^correct and don't forget a moisture barrier before you put it up. 15lb roofing felt works.
RivennHewn
Well-known member
And don't forget the Red Guard:
http://www.custombuildingproducts.c...paration/membranes-underlayments/redgard.aspx
http://www.custombuildingproducts.c...paration/membranes-underlayments/redgard.aspx
fury9
Well-known member
I think smooth side out if you're using mastic
OP
honda1998civic
Well-known member
Dang it. Already forgot to put felt paper. And I bought it just for that reason. I put one sheet up and was on upper section of bathroom. I'll use the felt paper on the rest
JCfreak
Well-known member
It faster and easier to pull that sheet down now to do it right. You might never have a problem....but if you do!!!!!
farphle
Well-known member
If it's only one sheet I would pull it down to put the felt paper behind it. You can re-use the sheet if you are careful with it.
OP
honda1998civic
Well-known member
Man but I put **** load of screws in that sheet already. I'll flip a coin. It's on upper part which never has a moisture barrier anyway.. Atleast this bathroom that was made 40 years ago didnt behind the Sheetrock and not a hint of mold found. I'll flip on it. Thanks for reminder though.
OP
honda1998civic
Well-known member
Crfdell
Well-known member
X A MILLION this stuff is the cats a $$ use it all the time.
OP
honda1998civic
Well-known member
I've heard about the red guard. But that stuff is expensive and I don't have a fancy bathroom anyway. I been at it a year and wife said just put it together.
Zeke
Well-known member
The Red Guard is good stuff but if you do the MB right you can get by w/o it. Take the sheet down and just use new screws in the existing holes plus a few more in virgin holes. It's hard to get the screws flush anyway. Sometimes I run a screw in and then back it out and run a new one in. I get them down and tight that way. At the very least, use a sacrificial countersink to start your hole. I think a little cone shaped grinding stone would work.
How are you cutting the stuff? I like to score it with a masonry blade and snap it. The thinner the blade the better. Very dusty but effective.
OP
honda1998civic
Well-known member
Exactly how I had to drill these screws in. Ya basically have to bore out a hole or it lifts the sheet up. And as for cutting it I'm using an angle grinder with diamond blade.
MagKarl
Well-known member
Finish the backer board, fill/mesh/scrape the seams and screws, then paint the whole thing with Redguard. Follow the instructions.
Zeke
Well-known member
On the debate about Red Guard: if you do the membrane and seal the grout really well, the BB won't get too wet in a shower used once a day in a relatively dry climate. A shower used by the whole family in a humid climate might not fair as well.
But, remember, old showers on a mud float had tar paper behind, tile floors (not synthetic pans) with a hot tar pan and sealer wasn't used in those days. The concrete float got moist and heavily used showers needed a new floor every 20 years or so. I never saw any walls go bad unless the floor was left way too long and the moisture wicked up the studs. By then the old shower was so ugly and out of style that the whole bathroom got demo'd and redone.
Hardy Board can take some moisture and if you use modified tile setting compound, modified grout and seal it up you should have little to no problems.
But, remember, old showers on a mud float had tar paper behind, tile floors (not synthetic pans) with a hot tar pan and sealer wasn't used in those days. The concrete float got moist and heavily used showers needed a new floor every 20 years or so. I never saw any walls go bad unless the floor was left way too long and the moisture wicked up the studs. By then the old shower was so ugly and out of style that the whole bathroom got demo'd and redone.
Hardy Board can take some moisture and if you use modified tile setting compound, modified grout and seal it up you should have little to no problems.
Nighttrain
Well-known member
How well does tile bond to the Red Guard? Any special process for thin set over it ?
farphle
Well-known member
Grout sealer can help to repel some of the water, but it's purpose is to make the grout easier to clean. Water WILL make its way past the grout and into the backer board unless you use a surface applied membrane such as Redgard. If you want "waterproof" grout go with epoxy grout. Basically, tile and grout are decorative ONLY. Your shower/bath should be 100% waterproof BEFORE your first tile is set.
Tile bonds to Redgard as well as it does to bare backer board. If using a product like Redgard, get a wet film thickness gauge to make sure it's applied thick enough. You don't want too little or too much.
Tile bonds to Redgard as well as it does to bare backer board. If using a product like Redgard, get a wet film thickness gauge to make sure it's applied thick enough. You don't want too little or too much.
Rosco
Well-known member
Do not use redguard if you are using a felt backer. I have always been taught it is one or the other. Myself I would lay it down and redguard it. You want the barrier on the moisture side.
Last edited:
i just used 6mm plastic sheathing, then durock, then mortar & tiles. that said, the top half of the shower doesn't get hit with a lot of moisture, but i'd still put some kind of water barrier up behind all of the BB.
you're doing a better job than most new home construction i see. most use regular drywall, or moisture resistant drywall/greenboard, which then fails after the new construction warranty is up.
tiling is kinda fun & you're saving a ton of coin doing it yourself...
you're doing a better job than most new home construction i see. most use regular drywall, or moisture resistant drywall/greenboard, which then fails after the new construction warranty is up.
tiling is kinda fun & you're saving a ton of coin doing it yourself...
SM Racing
Well-known member
Why not skip the concrete board all together and use a urethane underlayment. The Schluter products seem like a very well designed system.