Anyone ever done this? I am going to lay down floor tile this week, and I'd like to start on the walls next week. Some people recommend a concrete backing board for the walls (I am doing this for the floor) but I really don't see the point for the walls. The purpose of the concrete backing on the floor is that it will not bow like plywood, and therefore your mortar and grout are less likely to bend stepping on the tiles. But.... walls do not bear any load in the perpendicular direction so I would think adhering them directly to the drywall would be OK.

1/8/2008 1:18:53 AM

You can do it. Is this new sheetrock, or has it been painted? If it's painted, especially with a gloss, you'll need to sand it to get the thin set to stick well.

I wouldn't do it in the shower though. You'll want concrete backerboard there and a waterproof membrane between the backerboard and the studs to protect the studs from water.

[Edited on January 8, 2008 at 1:34 AM. Reason : l]

1/8/2008 1:33:54 AM

OK thank you for the advice.

1/8/2008 2:22:09 AM

^^ good advice

i don't recommend going over drywall in the shower area, unless that board is green board (moisture-resistant). But the better solution is hardi-board or durock. Hardiboard is easier to hang vertically.

Don't forget to use backerboard tape on the joints of the floor backerboard, this will help in isolating any potential cracks.

As for waterproofing, it is not necessary on the shower walls, water will not go into the wall. Use a shower pan liner for the floor as opposed to a liquid applied membrane. Any tile place will sell the pan liner, and it's not too hard to install. However, better ask a pro (depending on material used) about how to integrate the waterproofing with the drain, or it will leak.

Also, if it isn't in a shower, use glue on the walls, you'll save yourself time and money.

If you are doing a shower floor, make sure your subfloor is sloped properly and that you use smaller tiles (2x2 or 4x4) to prevent cracking.


[Edited on January 8, 2008 at 8:31 AM. Reason : ]

1/8/2008 8:29:30 AM

Just started a Bathroom Renovation. Damn floor as a 1-1'2 mortar slab under existing tile, walls also have cement/chicken wire behind in what i keep being refereed to as "bunker walls".

Any suggestions on how to ease my pain besides hiring someone else.

2/25/2014 12:04:04 PM

put durock on the wall

2/25/2014 12:20:57 PM

^yea, tile isn't going back on the walls so they will be mold resistant drywall

I am though putting durock down for the floor tile.

2/25/2014 1:22:09 PM

Quote :

"Just started a Bathroom Renovation. Damn floor as a 1-1'2 mortar slab under existing tile, walls also have cement/chicken wire behind in what i keep being refereed to as "bunker walls". Any suggestions on how to ease my pain besides hiring someone else. "

the floor in my bathroom was like that...i basically just used a chisel or pry bar to chip the outline of a section the size of a dinner plate, then came underneath to pop it up

the wire wasn't that strong and had been there a long time and so was a little rusty, so it wasn't too bad...still sucked, though

2/26/2014 7:54:15 AM

Schluter-KERDI system was well worth it IMO.

I only went up 4' on shower walls but the pre-formed pan skreed out with deck-mud to the full wall and the drain kit was slick.

[Edited on February 26, 2014 at 3:14 PM. Reason : .]

2/26/2014 3:12:39 PM

Yea, finding some rotten wood under the cement. Looks like most of the sub floor will be replaced when its all said and done.

2/26/2014 5:25:15 PM

Just out of curiosity, how do you get the tiles all lined up and straight when you do this? I feel like if I tried, even with some leveling laser it would look like utter shit.

2/26/2014 5:32:28 PM

lots of measuring and lots of time. no need to rush.

2/26/2014 5:42:27 PM

I am planning something similar for our kitchen: Cost permitting I'm hoping to continue to tile backsplash at the bottom-of-cabinet height across a wall (from that height all the way down to the floor) where our breakfast table sits in front of.

I'd be interested to see how your project turns out. I think I will just end up hiring someone else to do it in our house though.

2/26/2014 5:51:12 PM

as long as you take the time on the first tiles, all you need is spacers and care and they will work out. spacers are pretty cheap, then just check occasionally and you should be good to go.

2/26/2014 5:55:22 PM

Ah didn't even think of something like spacers. That makes it seem much more manageable.

2/26/2014 9:04:20 PM

Our house was built in the 70s and we haven't done anything to the bathrooms because of the mortar and chicken wire problem. We talked to two different professionals about the bathrooms and they both cautioned that they would be very messy undertakings.

2/26/2014 11:43:51 PM

I am about to do this in a 110 year old house. Will be removing fiberglass tub and surround and installing new tub, installing durock or something similar around the shower walls about 5 feet up from the base of the tub. I'll be waterproofing the durock with a waterproofing compound complete with a tape that will help seal in the cracks as well as sheeting water off the trailing edge of the durock (the part that rests on the flange of the tub).If you use Durock, you need to end the durock just short of where the tiles will end. Trying to finish (paint) over Durock isn't easy, and will require a lot of compound and sanding. Use colored caulk in the corners and the base of the shower (have learned this the hard way) and not grout. Use a long level to set the first row.

2/27/2014 9:52:08 AM

^ There is sanded caulk specifically for this purpose. Mapei makes it in pretty much every color grout they make too.

2/27/2014 10:23:33 AM

^3

I have moved at least 1,000 pounds of mortar/metal so far and I'm only about half done.

If you are undertaking something like this make sure you know where to dispose of the demo.

[Edited on February 27, 2014 at 11:03 AM. Reason : asdas]

2/27/2014 11:03:06 AM

my first course was done off a ledger board i removed after they set enough.

2/27/2014 2:57:36 PM

^how well did that air chisel work?? 35bucks aint bad

2/27/2014 3:23:07 PM

it slices through concrete but you need a compressor/receiver sized to give you enough time to use it effectively.

2/27/2014 4:30:57 PM