Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - mud or concrete backerboard for shower tile install

Should i use cement backerboard or should i mud the walls for new shower tile instalation? What steps do i take to mud the walls instead?

In some localities, the Building Code requires the use of a moisture-resistant wallboard behind the tile and around the shower/tub.

If this is a remodel, then you need to check what type of a wallboard the builder/installer had put in before. Builders normally use a water-resistant drywall which is colored green.
If the water-resistant material is not there, you'll need to decide between the green stuff, the cement board or the Hardibacker board (both sold in Home Depot or Lowes). The


Bottom line is that you don't want to install your tiles over regular drywall, or you'll have moisture ingress behind the tile and a lot of headache later.

Good luck.

I wasn't planning on using green drywall. What i want to know if i should mud the walls instead of concrete backer board. If mud is the way, then how do you do it?

rheffelman,

Use concrete backer board, this is what is designed for.

Good Luck!

Not sure if you already decided but here is my 2 cents.

I remodeled my entire bathroom and used the cement backer boards and highly recomend them. They are a little on the heavy side but they cut very easy. I used a standard black and decker portable saw and cut right through them no problem.

Once you lay the thin set over the mesh tape you will get a solid connection between the boards.

Good luck