#Concrete skim coat shower walls cracked#
#Concrete skim coat shower walls install#

Once installed, use a liquid waterproofing sealant like Redgard on all cracks, seams and screw holes.

Fasten the cement-board with approved screws that are waterproof and won’t rust.

First, consider using a waterproof/resistant membrane against the wood studs before installing the concrete backer-board to protect the studs from moisture absorbed through the backer-board.

When you use concrete backer-board in a bathroom or kitchen, there are some very important steps to follow. The coating on green drywall is just on the surface, if water penetrates into the drywall it’s ruined. Cement-board can be submerged in water without damage, green drywall can’t. Cement-board is much stronger and harder which makes it a better sub material. The difference between concrete backer-board and water-resistant drywall is it’s strength and water resistance. Once the cement board is installed, it needs waterproofing.

However, all those seams, corners and screw holes need to be sealed.

#Concrete skim coat shower walls cracked#

And it doesn’t flex much which makes cracked tiles less likely. This means there are seams between boards and in the corners as well as having lots of screw penetrations.Ĭoncrete-board makes a great backing material for tile because it’s water-resistant and very stiff. Concrete-board comes in sheets that are screwed to the wall or floor. It helps prevent mold and wont deteriorate when wet like drywall will. Cement Board Needs WaterproofingĬement board is a fantastic material for wet areas because it’s extremely water-resistant. For this reason, cement-board is considered water resistant and not water-proof without a membrane or waterproof coating.

There will be seams between boards and in the corners which need to be sealed. However, it does not make a shower, bathroom or kitchen area waterproof simply by installing it. In fact, cement-board can be fully submersed under water without damage. Water can penetrate through the seams and into the cement board itself.Ĭoncrete backer-board itself is waterproof in that it will not disintegrate when exposed to moisture. This is ideal for areas like bathrooms and kitchens that have high amounts of moisture and water. Meaning it will not deteriorate when exposed to water. Most types of concrete backer-board are made of a fibrous cement composition that’s molded into sheets. This ensure no water can penetrate through the cement board and onto the framing which can eventually cause rot, mold, mildew and deterioration. Some builders even recommend sealing all the large flat areas as well.

#Concrete skim coat shower walls install#

Before you install any tiles, all the seams, cracks, screws and corners need to be properly sealed and waterproofed. This means cement board needs waterproofing. When installed, cement board is water-resistant, not water-proof. There’s a common misconception that cement board is totally waterproof because it’s designed for wet areas, but it isn’t. Cement board comes in sheets, usually 3’x5′, and is secured to stubs with special screws. It’s used as a sub-material behind tile in a shower, bathroom or kitchen. concrete board or wonder-board is a cement based product designed as a sheathing material for walls and floors. Yeh i think so too, was hoping to give it a go as have done tiling a few times so that wasnt my concern it was more the straight walls.Cement board, a.k.a. Thanks everyone for the replies above, gonna have to save up again and try and figure something out in the meantime or get a local recomendation of someone that actually knows a decent plasterer. then this guy was a brit who had great reviews and still took the money and ran off with zero conscience in even returning the money cos he got a huge job elsewhere that was paying him more money for the next 18 months. Before anyone suggests, as have heard this before that maybe i should next time use a 'british builder'. Gonna have to wait now until I get some money together as the bathroom fitter looked trustworthy with all the feedback he had on mybuilder and how genuine he looked when he pretended to have a family emergency and desperately needed an advance on the money, stupidly gave him 80% of the money upfront cos he looked so desperate, also knowing we had a person with disability at home and were shielding he seemed so genuine that he wouldnt leave us stuck, still took the money started breaking up the bath and then dissappeared. Click to expand.Yeh i think so too, was hoping to give it a go as have done tiling a few times so that wasnt my concern it was more the straight walls.