Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - bathtubs
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09-25-00, 03:15 PM
in new home construction, when is the bathtub/shower installed, before or after drywall is placed? If before, how do you place your drywall around your tub/shower? On
mine, there is a large "tab" around the tub/shower that has pre-drilled holes in it for mounting it to the wall....fine...but how do you cover up this 1'+ tab that is 1/4"+ thick. If I place my drywall over the tab and screws, then my drywall does not sit flat against the studs. If I place the drywall on top of the tab, and leave it and the screws exposed, how do you cover it later and with what? ......please help me!!
mine, there is a large "tab" around the tub/shower that has pre-drilled holes in it for mounting it to the wall....fine...but how do you cover up this 1'+ tab that is 1/4"+ thick. If I place my drywall over the tab and screws, then my drywall does not sit flat against the studs. If I place the drywall on top of the tab, and leave it and the screws exposed, how do you cover it later and with what? ......please help me!!
09-25-00, 09:18 PM
Tgrav:
Actually, that's an intelligent question.
The "drywall" is supposed to hang down to about 1/4 inch above that lip. Then, the ceramic tiles stuck on the wall hang down the rest of the way to the top of the tub. That way, if there's a water leak so that water gets behind the tile, it can dribble over the edge of the lip without getting the drywall wet.
Let's talk a little bit about using drywall around a bathtub. They say you're supposed to install the drywall with a paper edge on the bottom, so that if it gets wet, it won't fall apart... the paper will hold everything together. But all the drywall I've ever seen has contoured paper edges, which means that bottom tile is going to sit at an angle. This is the smallest of several good reasons I can think of for NOT using drywall or greenboard around a bathtub.
You should install a cement backer board around the tub instead of drywall, but the same way as you would drywall. However, with backerboard, that 1/4 inch gap isn't important as the water won't harm it anyway, so I'd just sit it on the lip and attach it to the studs. If you find cement backer board is too heavy to work with, then that Dens-Shield stuff is almost as waterproof as cement backer board, and as easy to install as drywall... you just have to remember to cut the grey side first.
Hope this helped.
Actually, that's an intelligent question.
The "drywall" is supposed to hang down to about 1/4 inch above that lip. Then, the ceramic tiles stuck on the wall hang down the rest of the way to the top of the tub. That way, if there's a water leak so that water gets behind the tile, it can dribble over the edge of the lip without getting the drywall wet.
Let's talk a little bit about using drywall around a bathtub. They say you're supposed to install the drywall with a paper edge on the bottom, so that if it gets wet, it won't fall apart... the paper will hold everything together. But all the drywall I've ever seen has contoured paper edges, which means that bottom tile is going to sit at an angle. This is the smallest of several good reasons I can think of for NOT using drywall or greenboard around a bathtub.
You should install a cement backer board around the tub instead of drywall, but the same way as you would drywall. However, with backerboard, that 1/4 inch gap isn't important as the water won't harm it anyway, so I'd just sit it on the lip and attach it to the studs. If you find cement backer board is too heavy to work with, then that Dens-Shield stuff is almost as waterproof as cement backer board, and as easy to install as drywall... you just have to remember to cut the grey side first.
Hope this helped.
09-25-00, 09:23 PM
Tgrav:
The only place I would condone installing drywall around a tub is if you intend to install a tub surround. Tub surrounds are pretty good for not leaking. However, if you're planning to tile, use cement backerboard or Dens-Shield or any other strongly water resistant tile backer board. In my opinion, green board is not a decent backer board for ceramic tiles unless you're doing the work in someone else's house and you're only concerned about it lasting until your 1 year warranty expires.
The only place I would condone installing drywall around a tub is if you intend to install a tub surround. Tub surrounds are pretty good for not leaking. However, if you're planning to tile, use cement backerboard or Dens-Shield or any other strongly water resistant tile backer board. In my opinion, green board is not a decent backer board for ceramic tiles unless you're doing the work in someone else's house and you're only concerned about it lasting until your 1 year warranty expires.