selecting between Cement Board and Waterproof Tile Wall Backer Board for Your Shower

Have you ever seen a building scheme that failed because the installer used cheap materials because "no one was going to see them anyway?" This is the kind of foolish mental which can cause the current owner to have headaches, heart aches, and less money in their bank accounts.

Tile shower enclosures have been widely used for years but due to lower ability backer boards have come to be a nightmare for some homeowners. Waterproofing problems have caused whole showers to be ripped out to the bare studs as a effect of inferior products being used in the primary installation. Doing the scheme right the first time requires choosing the right tile backer board. Here's 5 points to guide you straight through this process:

Shower Panel

Point 1 - determine if you want the least cost or best ability material - If you're in your home for the long run (and many of us are now with the depressed real estate market) select ability over the introductory buy costs. The least cost tile backer material is cement board (which is water resistant) vs. A waterproof extruded polystyrene board. Although the waterproof board is more high-priced it will preclude against future precious water damage problems.

Step 2 - Ask if you want your shower water resistant or waterproof - Since the primary cement board is made of a thin layer of mortar sandwiched between sheets of fiberglass mesh it is water resistant and requires supplementary steps or materials to make it waterproof (you would need to either add a vapor fence inside of the board or a waterproofing material over the cement board). The extruded polystyrene wall ideas consists of Styrofoam brand insulation core coated on both sides with a fiberglass mesh and a polymer-modified resin which makes it 100% waterproof without any supplementary steps.

Point 3 -Consider who will be installing the wall board? Cement board is time thoughprovoking to install, messy (a lot of dust is kicked up when you cut it with a specialized carbide jigsaw blade) and back breaking (a 3' x 5' sheet weighs 45 to 60 lbs). On the other hand 3' x 5' x ½" polystyrene boards weigh a little under 9 lbs, can be cut with a carpenters knife and generate virtually no mess or waste. If you're paying for labor to setup these boards you'll save a lot with the polystyrene wall panels because it's quick to install. On the other hand if you're a do it yourselfer you might find it difficult to do the lifting, setting of the heavy cement boards which may make the polystyrene ideas a favorite option.

Point 4 - recognize if you need any recessed (in wall) shampoo/soap niches or corner/bench seats - For small bathrooms recessed soap and shampoo niches can make your stall more functional (since the shelves aren't sticking into the shower space) and enhance security (by lessening glossy materials overflowing onto the shower floor). For larger showers a corner or bench seat can supply luxury and security since you're be able to sit down to shower and shave. Your choice of wall backer board can make a big dissimilarity on how easy or hard it is to make a water-tight niche or seat.

Cement board niches wish institution framing, institution cutting, and thoughtful waterproofing techniques to ensure the edges and corners don't sustain any water. You can eliminate this extra time and waterproofing worries by choosing prefabricated extensive or extruded polystyrene niches and seats. With these systems you can buy thorough niches and seats that wish no extra building framing techniques (saving you time and hassle) and they're waterproof right out of the box.

Point 5 - Get help - If you're unsure of the right wall board choice get help from a knowledgeable bathroom remodeling contractor or wall backer board supplier. Make sure to begin with the end in mind (i.e. Manufacture your shower before starting construction). Do your Internet study and ask lots of questions before buying.

Now that you're equipped with these 5 points you're on your way to starting your dream tile shower.

selecting between Cement Board and Waterproof Tile Wall Backer Board for Your Shower

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