# Backerboard a Whole Bathroom



## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

We are doing a small bathroom remodel, I am replacing drywall with backer board for the whole room, and do a skim coat over the entire surface. 

I haven't seen many other remodelers do this, but I took it for granted it was a common practice under most of the better contractors. I had an architect tell me today he had never seen that done and that he thought it was a great idea for that small a bathroom ( 4 x 9). Then my electrician said the same thing. Is this not a common practice? JAW


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

No. Unless you are tiling the entire bathroom, why CBU everything?

It's heavier.
Extra labor to finish.
Comes standard in 3'x5' pieces.
Costs a lot more than drywall.

I don't get it.


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## Dan_Watson (Mar 1, 2008)

Never heard of this. Probably for the same reasons as listed above.


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

angus242 said:


> No. Unless you are tiling the entire bathroom, why CBU everything?
> 
> It's heavier.
> Extra labor to finish.
> ...


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## William James (Mar 5, 2010)

I was just going to say harder to finish/paint. But, I think Angus covered all the bases. 

Cement boards for wet areas or others that get tiled. Green board for the rest of the walls and ceiling. Some don't even do that. 

Some Home owners, some realtors, some general contractors.... Wouldnt know a good job if it hit them in the face. I see hack jobs that people think look incredible! And Some people are just BS'ers. (real estate agents..). Not saying anything towards you.


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

I should also clarify, the shower is completely tiled, including the ceiling, and so is one of the walls. I won't put green rock around a shower or bath tiled or not. JAW


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

William James said:


> I was just going to say harder to finish/paint. But, I think Angus covered all the bases.
> 
> Cement boards for wet areas or others that get tiled. Green board for the rest of the walls and ceiling. Some don't even do that.
> 
> Some Home owners, some realtors, some general contractors.... Wouldnt know a good job if it hit them in the face. I see hack jobs that people think look incredible! And Some people are just BS'ers. (real estate agents..). Not saying anything towards you.


It is against code to put MRB on the ceiling here.


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

CrpntrFrk said:


> It is against code to put MRB on the ceiling here.


Really? I wonder why. What if you are doing a tile ceiling in the shower? I assume that if they won't allow MRB they won't allow TBB. JAW


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

Next time save yourself some trouble and just use DensArmor instead.


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## Tech Dawg (Dec 13, 2010)

jawtrs said:


> I should also clarify, the shower is completely tiled, including the ceiling, and so is one of the walls. I won't put green rock around a shower or bath tiled or not. JAW


Still not making any sense... I install a lot of SwanStone and use greenboard behind the shower walls. If you know what your working with and do the installation properly there's no issues... not much different than using a waterproofing membrane over DW for tiling...


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

CrpntrFrk said:


> It is against code to put MRB on the ceiling here.


I know you shouldn't fasten on 16" centers - but manufacturer states 12" or equiv. strapping okay - Your really not allowed to use it period on ceilings? I use it all the time when i strap out fudged ceilings.


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

This is me just guessing because....well for some reason ......I never asked. I want to say it has something to do with if you get a leak in the roof they don't want that green board holding water up there. But it is moisture resistant not moisture proof so....... IDK. Just me thinking out loud.....


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## Tech Dawg (Dec 13, 2010)

It would eventually run somewhere... to the next light fixture etc... if there's a roof leak ya got more problems than just that. Maybe cuz its not part of the code to glue joists before hanging?? Here I use greenboard on bathroom ceiling and glue the joists with PL Premium... no issues whatsoever :thumbup:


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## SSC (Feb 8, 2011)

Green board is not used on the ceiling because of a potential sagging problem with 16" O.C. framing. They want 12" O.C. for green board ceiling.

Now with that said - Why use green board at all any more? they have issues with it not doing what it was originally supposed to do and the manufacturers know this.

Listen to Angus! DensArmor all the way.

Ive installed at least a 1000 boards personally. It eats pencils like crazy is a little itchy but its virtually waterproof.
Was on a job were we had 1000's of boards all over the place. Guys would use the stacks for a table to have coffee or lunch. Someone spilled some soda and it made a puddle- 4 days later it was still a puddle and never soaked in!


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## Splinter (Apr 5, 2005)

> is a little itchy


I cant use that stuff without full body protection... The itch is worse than rockwool.... I just cant use it. 

I generally use regular drywall on ceilings and MR for walls outside the tub area.


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## Bweikel (Feb 20, 2011)

Out here green board has turned purple but they still don't use it on ceilings


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Well, I may not do it on the next one but it is perfectly legal here and I have never seen molded tbb like I have with old green board. Its obviously over kill but it looks good and moisture would never be an issue.


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Bweikel said:


> Out here green board has turned purple but they still don't use it on ceilings


Where is your location? JAW


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## Bweikel (Feb 20, 2011)

jawtrs said:


> Where is your location? JAW


San Francisco its mold/mildew/moisture resistant and 100% recycled


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## William James (Mar 5, 2010)

Bweikel said:


> Out here green board has turned purple but they still don't use it on ceilings


Yes, they make both. First time I saw the purple, I said, "what's with the purple shet?" damn, can't remember the company. :whistling


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## HandyHails (Feb 28, 2009)

So you don't skim coat the whole sheet then right? Just the joints? I remember thinking of using DensShield for bathroom walls at one point, but thinking that the texture was weird and would look funky. 

I also use the SW bathroom paint.


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

Just to be clear, are we talking about DensShield the tile backer or DensArmor, the paperless drywall?

I wouldn't use DensShield for non-tiled walls.

I do not skim DensArmor. Just the PrepRite ProBlock.


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

I haven't heard anyone mention blueboard and plaster. That is pretty standard around here if it isn't sheet rock. And I try to avoid Sheetrock whenever possible.


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## Splinter (Apr 5, 2005)

You almost never see blueboard and plaster anywhere outta New England. My local lumberyard wont even stock the stuff. I wouldnt know where to find someone who could finish it properly either.


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## Tech Dawg (Dec 13, 2010)

I've never even heard of it until being on this forum... it annoys me that most products are not available in all areas, oh well


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

Lots of Italian and Portuguese around here to do plaster work. Seriously, I feel for you guys that put sheet rock in high end homes. It just doesn't hold up to the abuse that plaster will take. It is more expensive but it's better. Usually they do a "brown" base coat on joints with mesh tape. Then they skim coat everything for the second finish coat. Actually skim coat is smooth finish, but they do a rough sort of old style finish too. The finish is really hard and nice when done. Takes some talent though.


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## jarvis design (May 6, 2008)

HandyHails said:


> I've been using NuTones forever. I've not had a problem yet. For about $100-$125 you get a nice quiet fan.
> 
> I've never tried the Panasonics. What makes them so nice in your opinion?


Besides the CFM and sone ratings, they are simply better constructed. It's been a few years since I've put in a broan/nutone, but I remember not liking the plastic piece you had to snap onto the box for the vent pipe. The exhaust port on the panasonics is part of the housing.


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## HandyHails (Feb 28, 2009)

jarvis design said:


> Besides the CFM and sone ratings, they are simply better constructed. It's been a few years since I've put in a broan/nutone, but I remember not liking the plastic piece you had to snap onto the box for the vent pipe. The exhaust port on the panasonics is part of the housing.


I'll give them a try on my very next bathroom. Thanks for the tip!


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

MR is not rated for ceilings.....Something like screws won't hold it up to trusses. Or down force and material is a little more brittle and won't hold the screws as well.

And the hundreds of bath remodels(drywall) I've done.........Never had a wet/damaged ceiling.

If you get a water leak you have a problem, I don't care what type of board you use.


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

I used DenseSheild for the walls, 5/8 sheetrock for the ceiling. 2 of the walls were tile, the other two and the ceiling are a level five finish. It looks awesome and didn't take any longer to finish, but more expensive.


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## Jakedpenaecc (Feb 15, 2012)

Do you have any pictures that job? I'm interested to take a look at it. What material did you use to skim coat?

Jake P
Elite

www.eliteconstructionmi.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elite-Construction-Co/285365098158217


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## Higgins (Feb 20, 2012)

Hydrostop over gb and you will never have an issue.


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Jakedpenaecc said:


> Do you have any pictures that job? I'm interested to take a look at it. What material did you use to skim coat?
> 
> Jake P
> Elite
> ...


Wow, bringing chit up from the past. I do, somewhere. Tile to ceiling on two walls, other two were level.5 finish, Durabond for taping quick set for skim coats.

Wouldn't do it again, waste of money. I use Dense Guard for showers and just one peice of Dense Armour behind vanity, if at all. I would use DG on the two tile walls again.


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