Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - bathtub tiling

i just installed a fiberglass tub which has a 1 inch flange around the top of the tub. i just installed the hardiback board down to the top of the flange. i am about to tile but feel i need to tile to the bottom of the flange to the actual tub. should i fill the void by using cement & letting to dry then tiling? or should i have hardibacked covering the flange(or lip) which would have made the wall uneven down by where i would have covered the flange. clueless. i am about to drill holes in the flange then cement so it grabs. then when dry go on with the tiling job. thanks

Since you haven't committed any further than you stated, remove the backer board from the walls over the shower unit. Tack up strips of 1/4" lattice to the leading edges of the exposed studs, bringing the studs to the same plane as the shower stall lip. Then cut new backer board from the ceiling down to include the distance from the lip edge to the top of the shower and install it, finishing it, and installing your tile.:thumbup:

What size tiles are you using? I wouldn't worry about that 1" if your tiles are at least 4". . Just set the tile over the flange and caulk along the tub. Its done this way all the time without problems if the tile is set right and If you dont feel it would hold up, the furring strips as chandler suggested will work. Good luck with your tiling
John

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Our contractor installed greenboard down over the lip of the tub which created a a slightly bowed shaped in the wall. We left it up to the tilesetter's discretion whether to leave it or not. Well, he left it and tiled over it. The tiled wall actually looks fine, but every time you sit on the edge of the tub, it creeks & squeaks! We haven't gotten to the root causal yet, but I would advise against installing the board over the flange at this point. It could be our tub wasn't screwed in, or the greenboard was not secured, maybe its the subflooring. I'd be interested in knowing how things turn out for you - good luck! /db