Just came across your channel and watched the video. Two things. 1st, instead of using cement backer board, I switched to Johns Mansfield Go Board, it's available at the blue big box store. It cuts like drywall and is completely impervious to water, unlike concrete. 2nd, most shower pan manufacturers recommend installing the backer board to the top of the flange, not over it. The tile or other material will then come down to 1/8" from the bottom and get siliconed. This will leave a gap so that water can't wick up behind the final wall in case the silicone gets compromised. Other than that, it was a good tutorial.
This is a really good video. AK, do you suggest applying a vapor barrier behind the Go board on top of the insulation for added protection? Also, to fill in the inch space between the board & tub (for guest bath) what silicone do you use? I tried cutting the cement backer board for my fireplace & had to nap after... :-O
@@jens2763The go board is waterproof, closed cell foam, so you won’t need the vapor barrier for that. If your on an outside wall, you might see a vapor barrier on the back side of your studs, but nothing you should need to deal with. GoBoard has their own sealant that the recommend and is what I use. There are several RUclips’s that will show you proper technique, it gets spread about 2” each side of joint. I normally put in a foam pan, so the GoBoard just slips into the dado on the pan, but this last time I installed into a fiberglass pan, so instead of stopping at the top, I cut an 1/8” slot out of the bottom and slipped the GoBoard to 1/8” from the pan over the flange. Then I applied sealant to the cutout and sealed it to the flange that way. GoBoard just cuts with a knife so it’s pretty easy. Everything turned out great.
not a good idea because if water gets behind the tile, and there's no cement board behind it, that water's going straight into the wood and insulation behind it. better to have the cement board get in contact with water as a backup.
@@user-vc5rp7nf8f No, this is a common misconception. Cement board (PermaBASE, Hardi) is NOT waterproof and will happily wick water up the wall. You do not want it anywhere near the tub/shower. If you stop it at the top of the tub/shower flange, the bottom tiles simply cantilever down to within 1/8 inch of the deck. Water that somehow gets behind the tile can never reach the wood framing because of that flange. It would have to travel an inch or more straight up.
1 - make sure it's the correct fibre mesh tape for cement board 2 - if you add a bit of water first to the bucket then the thinset, then water to the desired consistency you don't get the corners of dry gunk leftover
Thank you for a great video. Honestly, we had not idea the detail that went into this work. We hired a contractor to gut and redo our bathroom. Sadly, we did not do our homework and hired him vai work of mouth and one recommendation. We had to let him go because we could see halfway through the job, he had no idea what he was doing. After watching your video, I have a better understanding of feedback to give him and what to watch with the new contractor. I should have watched more videos. LOL.. Sadly, we lost about $16,000 because we did not get more bids, and we did not get more knowledge ourselves. Bathroom had to be re-gutted (yup all of it) and all new materials purchased, as well as paying for a new contractor to fix the screw up of the first one. Live and learn.
I had the very same problem with my bath remodel. My mistake was not as costly. It is waterproof with a poor quality tile job. 🎉🎉🎉 You live and learn. Good luck with your remodel project.
So glad I came upon your video. I will be redoing our shower soon. Thanks for being so thorough. I have confidence now that I will be able to do this job.
This guy is great. I am getting ready to tile up. I did not cut out the back of the cement board to go over the shower pan lip though, instead, I cut furring strips the length of each stud and 1.5 inches wide so that the board went over the lip.
I believe the board should not rest on the edge of the shower floor pan or the tub. It should go on the top of the lip to prevent any water from wicking up the cement board. Read the comment by AKJammer.
@@TheExcellentLaborer. If you don’t mind me asking, how much do you charge to do a shower that size. I’m just starting out and can really use the advice! Beautiful work!
@@TheExcellentLaborer I couldn't agree more! LOVE your channel. You have no idea how helpful it is to someone like myself! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.
This is the most informational and the most comprehensive building channel on youtube by far. I cant thank you enough for your content. There should be 1 mill subscribers for this channel. I have turned 5 people on to this amazing channel this week
Josh, You make it look easy. The backer board you use is heavy. Then add glass tile. I carried all this in the house. Great job. 👍 It may look easy, but it is not. 😮 Thank you for the step by step.
hey man, this is the first time I am seeing our videos. I have been watching videos for years and I have to say you are very detailed. more detailed than anyone I have every seen. amazing videos!
I've been doing showers and bathrooms for decades. Out in the field we normally pack out are studs. We packed them out quarter inch or so. That way the cement board or HardieBacker board slide to write down over in front of the flang of a tub or shower. No rabbeting out or back cutting the cement board,or hardiebacker board like you're doing in this video.
@@zefrum3I believe he’s saying they burrow out the studs a little so that the actual tub edges are slightly in the studs so the cement boards just slide right down without have to cut the board to fit
Board doesn’t go over the flange. It butts against it. Put it over and I will eventually leak. You use mesh and quick set cement to seal the gap. Then red guard, caulk when done. Tile.
I have to rebuild my shower in my brand new house that the contractor really messed up. After watching several videos on the subject, I stumbled upon yours and what a relief. I am confident that with your explicit instructions, I can now tackle the project. I will have to demo the tile out to the studs and start over so your videos really came in handy, now to gather materials. BTW, the building contractor will repurchase the tile if I do the work. His sub went out of business :~(
I love your video; video quality is great, you speak clearly, confidently and with enthusiasm, and your explanations are detailed and clear. I just don't understand why you started at the top of the wall? ET
Preference. He said so in the video. Doesn't matter either way. On my last job, I had gravity work in my favor, working from the ground up on the main back wall. And from the top down as for the two side walls. Both were easily accomplished..
The cement board sits on TOP of the tub flange lip, not overlapping it. By bringing the cement board all the way down over the flange lip, you increase the possibility of the cement board sucking up water through capillary action.
In my experience, about half of the pros I've observed stop at the top of the tub flange, cantilevering the tile the final 3/4 inch or so past the cement board. The other half back-cuts as shown in this video so the cement board can run down over the flange and better support the tile. It typically stops 1/4 inch above the deck. Personally, I prefer to stop the cement board at the top of the tub flange.
Thx for such clear communication. This is my first time installing over backer board and had not gotten a clear answer regarding joints or waterproofing
Hey Josh, I've been watching your video's for the last couple weeks and want to thank you for the excellent content! I'm remodeling my house now and your bathroom rough-in, tiling etc, videos have really helped me out! Great stuff!
Hi M Zerk! I’m thrilled to know people like you are watching my channel. I’ve been doing construction since I was a teenager and I love every minute of it. Remodeling is a lot of work but it’s a great way to add value to your property. Thank you for watching and good luck on your project!
@@TheExcellentLaborer, A bead of silicone on the pan behind the durarock would help with water weeping! Maybe mention about walls being "studs" being plumb. Nice video!
Thank you. This video is great. My daughter put her foot through the tile wall and I had no idea how to fix it and couldn't afford to pay someone. Hope I'm doing it right
Been installing tile new for about 20 years, the only big box we have is HD. Here's some solid advice. 1. Straight edge & plumb the studs & corners, shim if need. 2. Use Aquabar paper over your studs & go over shower lip. 3. Leave a ⅛" gap at your cement board seams (#8 nail) 4. Tape with alkali resistant mesh! 5. I have always used Flexbond thinset & had great results! We live near the 29 Palms Marine base & get shook all the time from the bombing & small quakes are the norm. I've never had a shower leak or crack. For what its worth thats my experience tiling MANY showers.
Does this apply for someone who is not tiling but just putting up fiberglass (or similar) panels to create a new surround over an old bathtub? Thank you.
Josh, Excellent video and work. You're a craftsman who cares about his workmanship. I did my bathroom a few years back. The tile work was horrible. I paid top 💵 dollar for poor quality work. My old bath was almost 50 years old. I doubt the new one will last that long. One thing is to wear a mask.
Thanks for the video. I am almost ready to tape. I found out that the manufacturer recommends a 1/16 or 1/8 gap between boards. Too late im done. Also for inside and outside corners they recommend 4 in Alkali resistant tape.
I never installed cbb before. I found your video presentation informative and easy to follow along. Best of all, I feel confident in tackling the job thanks to you. You've got a great attitude and obviously love what you're doing!! Mega thanks Bro!
I speak from experience, the cement board he's using is a bit on the heavy side. They have lighter weight versions available. He's a young guy who makes it look easy. Be aware of the weight. Use liquid nails as he did.
If you are doing the whole thing including framing (new construction) you can notch the studs at the bottom - about a quarter inch or even just 3/16 inch deep, the height of the pan to allow the pan to recess into the stud wall. So much easier to notch the studs.
Thanks for mentioning & applying the membrane. My 80's house did not & the "drywall" crumbled behind the old tile as I was removing the tile. Codes are so different...
I like your videos but for my shower installs, I use a poly styrene backer board called "GO Board" from Johns-Mansville (approx $26 for 1/2" x 36"x 60") instead of cement board (approx$14) , Go Board is waterproof and doesn't need a painted waterproof membrane ($60-$150) or tape ($10) for the seams and the corners. They have a "GO BOARD" adhesive ($16 for a 10 oz tube) that you spread over the seams and screw heads. It cuts with a utility knife and is dense enough to use bugle head backer board screws ($35). Cement boards need a waterproof membrane painted on it to keep from absorbing moisture. I've added up the costs and using "Go Board" is about the same cost and a lot quicker and more waterproof instead of a product like cement or hardi backer board that can and will absorb moisture.
One issue I have seen with goboard is that if you are going to install grab bars or anything with screws going through the tile into studs or backers, the tile can easily crack as the goboard is foam core and compresses.
No cement board doesn’t need a waterproofing over it this is all upmarket selling. Concrete board doesn’t rot , ever. Use a plastic barrier behind cement board and modified thinset ( mostly water proof). Expensive plastic boards are a waste of money
@@tomdemeo2708 Exactly .. I love people who think shulter is the only way to go....😂 Little do they know their newly built house probably has tiles on drywall in the shower, and tile directly mortared to the subfloor ...😂😂
you always want to use a waterproof silicone in the corners and not thin set so that there is flexibility in the corners to allow for expansion and contraction. Thin set can crack and leak if used in corners.
Here's some good info. Realistically no one gets this opportunity, so I thought I'd share. 5 years ago putting in a new shower, I used the high quality laticrete hydro-ban caulk in the corners between cement boards. I had to abandon the project at this stage. No mesh tape / thinset. No further progress has been made on the project even to this day. So, I recently assessed the job and found half of these vertical 90degree corner beads of caulk had produced a fine crack. Pretty surprising and disappointing... So, to counter this, I will be including the use of a fabric tape when painting the waterproof membrane. Maybe others should consider this secondary measure, too.
Another fantastic showing of your work. Yes drywall background comes in really well to take and coat the corners and seams. I've used a brush as well to put the thinset in the corner and wipe it down. So glad to see the application of the sealer as well when using cement board and even hardi backer. Doesn't suck the moisture out of the thinset as quick too. Great job Josh. 👍🏻
Hey David! Yeah I felt like a Drywall Finisher there for a minute lol. Yes that’s a good point also about the water sealer protecting from pulling the water out too quick. Another plus side to waterproofing. I hope your projects are going well. Thanks for stopping by!
This is really great and straight forward video. I've done a lot of drywalling and odd jobs construction and feel very confident in my abilities but it's always good to go through a video dry run with to make sure I'm not forgetting something; especially if it's a project I haven't done in a while. It also helps to go through the needed materials list to ensure I have everything for the job before I began. There's nothing worse than getting started only to find out you need to run back to the local hardware store! Aghhh You also have some great tricks to make the job go easier when possible. Thanks for your video's I'm definitely a subscriber. Fireman Michael
Isn't it recommended to remove the paper face of the insulation if you're using a waterproof membrane over the backer board? Otherwise, mold could become an issue due to moisture being trapped between two impervious materials. I'm a complete novice, but I came across this advice several times in recent months. I learned this while researching my own project whether or not to remove the vapor barrier before installing my shower on an exterior wall. Thanks for your efforts; I've learned so much from such videos and the comments
Josh love the videos, they have been very helpful. I have one question, do you put mesh tape along the ceiling. Where the sheet rock and cement board meet
I did but it’s not really necessary. The tile covers up that area and you really don’t see the corner and it doesn’t function as waterproofing either. So it’s really not necessary but I did for a full complete look. Hope that helps!
Hi Josh, I've just discovered your channel and I must say you are an amazing teacher . I have a couple of questions. About a month before watching your video, I installed 1/4 inch cement board on the Walls of my shower, is that a problem? Can I do anything to it to make it work? Or do I have to remove it and use 1/2 inch? My second question is, do the walls need to be perfectly level or the bit of unevenness can be even out with thinset when tiling? Thank you
Good stuff. The most important thing I can reinforce is never to run cement board or drywall over the lip of a shower pan. EVER. Both will wick moisture. Both will fail.
You run the sheets into the tray stopping 3-5 mm short of the tray bottom and then silicon seal the gap . Water proof the sheets . Run the tiles down the same and silicon seal the gap .
A title guys with years of experience says that you place the cement board on top of the lip of the pan to stop water wicking up. leaving that space means water can't travel up and make contact with the cement board. Yes, you can use caulking between the gaps if you rest the cement board on the base, but cauling won't stop water perminately, especially in a shower with plenty of water spashing around.
Very detalied video awesome! I AM PLANNING on changng my shower tiles and your video will help me! I want to also change my shower tub to like in your video shower pan
I sit and watch this channel often , wonder why I haven’t subscribed. Anyway finally hit the damn button, thank you for all you’ve helped me with . Doing a shower stall now in tile . 🙏🙏
Hey Josh, I agree with all the other comments, EXCELLENT series on cement board, shower pan install, tiling, and grout... Complete and Fantastic stuff. I have a shower that needs every single onenof these vids. From shower pan replacing to tiling. I feel 1,000% more comfortable with rhe whole project having your vids in my back pocket. Will let you know how it goes/turna out. Ciao
Hm? ... I didn't know that water-proofing was necessary after placing cement board and thinner on the joints? Or, that there is a water-proofing product available and it is applied onto the cement board as if I were painting with a roller. Hm? ... Glad I saw this video. Thanks!
1-Plywood on the base is a good idea, but the crumbs from the cement board will get between the plywood and the shower base. Protect the base completely with cardboard or whatever before the plywood. 2-First shim the the studs out from top to bottom to accommodate the shower pan up turn on all the walls including the walls out side the shower so sheetrock and cement board are in plane . 3-Start from bottom up leaving a 1/4 gap on ontop of the shower base. Much easier. 4-Leave 1/8 inch between sheets for mortar to key into the sheet. The but joints on the shorter walls will create a bulge in the wall do to orientation of the boards. 5-Fiber tape needs to be ALKALINE resistant! 6-The thinset around the mud ring on the diveter is pointless. The mud ring gets removed when valve is trimmed out. 7-Water proofing is optional not mandatory! 8- Water proofing comes in 1 gallon buckets.
Hi, when leaving the 1/4” gap between the backer and shower flange, what do you recommend doing to seal it? I haven’t started my shower yet and there’s all different ways people are doing it. I’m going to use butyl tape from the flange to the studs before putting backer up as well.
@@vanessap8717 The 1/4 gap should be sealed with a flexible sealant. "caulking". In the real world I never sealed that joint . I relied on the silicone at the shower base and finished wall tile. By leaving the space open you eliminate the possibility of water ever wicking up the backer board. The flexible sealant is the correct thing to do though!
@@vanessap8717 as stated, that bottom gap should be hit with a bead of 100% silicone, prior to tile installation. Keeps the job watertight and prevents water from wicking into the cement board.
@@TheExcellentLaborer 7:28 - can I install my cement board in my shower and then have a drywall guy come? Or should I do like you did and have drywall finished and then install my cement board?
@@chrisbarfield1468either way. Just have cement board and tile go beyond shower door and inch or so ideally. Make sure you stud well there for your door system.
Josh, excellent videos. Thanks, I have a question. My son's contractor did a poor job laying tiles on his shower floor. The shower has a square drain and the contractor grouted all the way around four sides of the drain. Now for basic clean up and hair clogs removal, we have no way of easily pulling off the drain cover. Would it be safe to use some scouring knife or rotary blade to scrap off the grout on all four sides of the drain screen? They can't even use the shower anymore as the water pools on shower floor and takes long long time to slowly drain, in the meantime, standing water is weakening the floor and dislodging the tiles. Thank you for your (or fellow reader's) helpful comments.
Pretty much all drains have a removable strainer aka "grate" either by removing 1 or 2 screws. If you don't see any screws it is probably just snapped in and held by friction. Grouted on all sides is generally as it should be. Good luck
Hi Josh, thanks a lot for you videos. They are great and straight to the point. One question I have is regarding the gap between the backer board and the ceiling. Do I need to fill it in with thin set or something, or just fill it after tile is installed (with silicon calk)? I am going to install tiles up to the ceiling. Thanks a lot.
Should have shown us how the cement board looked at the bottom edge of the shower panel. Does it touch the lip of the panel or is it 1/8”+ gap to avoid water absorption? Thanks
@@erikurrutia1500 hey, how do you seal it afterwards? I saw a guy use mesh tape to cover the gap between backer board and shower flange and then thinset like the other seams, before using the aqua defence. Is that a good way to do it?
@@vanessap8717 if you leave your backer right above the lip and the use mesh tape on the seam the add thinset with a flat trowel or putty knife to fill the void. When that sets up use a waterproof membrane on all the backerboard all the way down to where it meets the fiberglass pan. I recommend taping the fiberglass pan at the 90° angle where they come together. Then peel the tape and good to go.
@@erikurrutia1500 the lip on my pan is too thick to cut and overlap. So you’re saying I can butt the Durok to the lip and use butyl tape to cover where they meet?
Well I did one of my first shower tile jobs directly onto old plaster walls a few months back. Hopefully I get some time out of it at least. I took down the old shower wall insert paneling, scraped as best I could, waterproofed two coats, then used a product called echo prim to provide a rough cement board like surface for thin set to adhere too. I’d like to hear your thoughts on this. If nothing else, it was good practice. Thx!
There's a bit of controversy about whether or not an installer should, or should not cover the lip of the shower base (or imbed their board in the shower bedding if not using a fiberglass base as you are) to prevent water from wicking up into the concrete board. The idea is to end the sheet short of the shower pan lip and the tile would overhang onto the lip of the pan (in your case). What is your opinion regarding this? How does your method prevent wicking?
wouldn't the mortar on the back of the tiles wick water about the same as cement board would..? isn't cement board essentially a pane or panel of reinforced mortar?
You check out the framing at the bottom so that the shower tray sets in and ends up flush with the framing . You run the sheets into the shower tray stopping 3-5 mm short of the tray bottom . You silicon seal the 3-5 mm gap . You water proof the cement sheets . You lay the tiles 3-5 mm short of the tray bottom and silicon seal the gap between the bottom of the tiles and the tray .
Josh, thank you for taking time to show step by step process, being so thorough. I Have never done any of these projects, but you sure do a great job taking the mystery out of building a home DIY. I am in the early stages of planning to build a house, and I want to do most of the work myself so "can save a ton of money" and get the satisfaction of doing it myself. I have subscribed to your channel, and will be watching many more videos. Your channel is the MOST thorough and BEST channel I have found on home building. No one shows, and explains it as simple as you. Thanks a bunch and keep up the great work. You are helping lots of people! ALL the best to ya!
This is the technique I prefer when installing I like the concrete board on wall alone more solid I use redgard basically same a aqua d thinset bonds extremely well to it
Just came across your channel and watched the video. Two things. 1st, instead of using cement backer board, I switched to Johns Mansfield Go Board, it's available at the blue big box store. It cuts like drywall and is completely impervious to water, unlike concrete. 2nd, most shower pan manufacturers recommend installing the backer board to the top of the flange, not over it. The tile or other material will then come down to 1/8" from the bottom and get siliconed. This will leave a gap so that water can't wick up behind the final wall in case the silicone gets compromised. Other than that, it was a good tutorial.
This is a really good video. AK, do you suggest applying a vapor barrier behind the Go board on top of the insulation for added protection? Also, to fill in the inch space between the board & tub (for guest bath) what silicone do you use? I tried cutting the cement backer board for my fireplace & had to nap after... :-O
@@jens2763The go board is waterproof, closed cell foam, so you won’t need the vapor barrier for that. If your on an outside wall, you might see a vapor barrier on the back side of your studs, but nothing you should need to deal with. GoBoard has their own sealant that the recommend and is what I use. There are several RUclips’s that will show you proper technique, it gets spread about 2” each side of joint. I normally put in a foam pan, so the GoBoard just slips into the dado on the pan, but this last time I installed into a fiberglass pan, so instead of stopping at the top, I cut an 1/8” slot out of the bottom and slipped the GoBoard to 1/8” from the pan over the flange. Then I applied sealant to the cutout and sealed it to the flange that way. GoBoard just cuts with a knife so it’s pretty easy. Everything turned out great.
not a good idea because if water gets behind the tile, and there's no cement board behind it, that water's going straight into the wood and insulation behind it. better to have the cement board get in contact with water as a backup.
I'm not expert, but what u said is what I'm logically thinking...@@user-vc5rp7nf8f
@@user-vc5rp7nf8f No, this is a common misconception. Cement board (PermaBASE, Hardi) is NOT waterproof and will happily wick water up the wall. You do not want it anywhere near the tub/shower. If you stop it at the top of the tub/shower flange, the bottom tiles simply cantilever down to within 1/8 inch of the deck. Water that somehow gets behind the tile can never reach the wood framing because of that flange. It would have to travel an inch or more straight up.
1 - make sure it's the correct fibre mesh tape for cement board
2 - if you add a bit of water first to the bucket then the thinset, then water to the desired consistency you don't get the corners of dry gunk leftover
Why do you need the mesh tape and motor if you’re going to title over and motor over the title?
@@JimPutnam-w6d from what i understand, no matter what, water eventually gets behind the tile
@@JimPutnam-w6d for the waterproofing to be flat. That way when you put your tile up they are even and the waterproof can do it's job.
@@kurolap7882 Yup. Precisely why I'm currently in the process of tearing down my tiled shower walls completely. 😭
I’ve been a builder for about 35 years and thought I would watch your video, nice job ,
Thank you for a great video. Honestly, we had not idea the detail that went into this work. We hired a contractor to gut and redo our bathroom. Sadly, we did not do our homework and hired him vai work of mouth and one recommendation. We had to let him go because we could see halfway through the job, he had no idea what he was doing. After watching your video, I have a better understanding of feedback to give him and what to watch with the new contractor. I should have watched more videos. LOL.. Sadly, we lost about $16,000 because we did not get more bids, and we did not get more knowledge ourselves. Bathroom had to be re-gutted (yup all of it) and all new materials purchased, as well as paying for a new contractor to fix the screw up of the first one. Live and learn.
I had the very same problem with my bath remodel. My mistake was not as costly. It is waterproof with a poor quality tile job. 🎉🎉🎉 You live and learn. Good luck with your remodel project.
So glad I came upon your video. I will be redoing our shower soon. Thanks for being so thorough. I have confidence now that I will be able to do this job.
I'm a Ridgid cordless tools man myself. I realize I'm being a bit biased, but I think people who use the same tools I use... are smart. Cheers!
Rigid better than dewalt or Milwaukee? Serious question
Glad that decided to watch your video. The lip sheets has me puzzled. Now I’m clear what needs to be done. Thanks
This guy is great. I am getting ready to tile up. I did not cut out the back of the cement board to go over the shower pan lip though, instead, I cut furring strips the length of each stud and 1.5 inches wide so that the board went over the lip.
I believe the board should not rest on the edge of the shower floor pan or the tub. It should go on the top of the lip to prevent any water from wicking up the cement board. Read the comment by AKJammer.
The board should never go over the lip. It’s supposed to go to the top of the lip.
Thank you so much! Your explanation and directions are clear and easy to follow. You are an amazing teacher
this channel is a gem
I appreciate that Don!
@@TheExcellentLaborer. If you don’t mind me asking, how much do you charge to do a shower that size. I’m just starting out and can really use the advice! Beautiful work!
@@TheExcellentLaborer I couldn't agree more! LOVE your channel. You have no idea how helpful it is to someone like myself! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.
This is the most informational and the most comprehensive building channel on youtube by far. I cant thank you enough for your content. There should be 1 mill subscribers for this channel. I have turned 5 people on to this amazing channel this week
Josh, You make it look easy. The backer board you use is heavy. Then add glass tile. I carried all this in the house. Great job. 👍 It may look easy, but it is not. 😮 Thank you for the step by step.
I compared these brands with the "Hardiebacker" and there is no comparison; the Hardiebacker" is vastly superior.
In what way? I've used all of them and never found much difference. None of the cementitious ones are truly waterproof.
Have you used the GoBoard noted above?
Great video! About to do my bathroom floor and shower. Feel comfortable after numerous videos and yours have been very clear!
Excellent! I hope it goes well for you. Let me know how it goes!
@@TheExcellentLaborer can I use the materials you used with a pre cut Kerdi shower board? Can I use kerdi tape to seal all edges and corners?
clear, concise, well-filmed
hey man, this is the first time I am seeing our videos. I have been watching videos for years and I have to say you are very detailed. more detailed than anyone I have every seen. amazing videos!
I've been doing showers and bathrooms for decades. Out in the field we normally pack out are studs. We packed them out quarter inch or so. That way the cement board or HardieBacker board slide to write down over in front of the flang of a tub or shower. No rabbeting out or back cutting the cement board,or hardiebacker board like you're doing in this video.
Can someone translate this from contractor english to educated English please?
@@zefrum3I believe he’s saying they burrow out the studs a little so that the actual tub edges are slightly in the studs so the cement boards just slide right down without have to cut the board to fit
Make wall stick out more so cement board slides down past tub flange
Board doesn’t go over the flange. It butts against it. Put it over and I will eventually leak. You use mesh and quick set cement to seal the gap. Then red guard, caulk when done. Tile.
@@jimmyjay6497 that is one way, but this entire comment thread is about building the studs out so the cement board can slide down over the flange
I have to do all this in a few months so saved in my favorites and will follow step by step.
thank you for creating these videos.
very nice of you
I’m glad you found the channel. Sounds like it will serve you well on your project. I enjoy making the videos. Let me know how your project goes!
I have to rebuild my shower in my brand new house that the contractor really messed up. After watching several videos on the subject, I stumbled upon yours and what a relief. I am confident that with your explicit instructions, I can now tackle the project. I will have to demo the tile out to the studs and start over so your videos really came in handy, now to gather materials. BTW, the building contractor will repurchase the tile if I do the work. His sub went out of business :~(
This. I have the same problem. Husband wants to do it- so being an engineer I’m sure we can do this
I would think the Contractor would step up and fix what his Sub screwed up. Why should YOU have to do it? The cost of tile is minimal
Best of luck with your project. Take your time. Let us know how you made out.
Great video, doing my shower soon, it will be my third and I know a better way to do it now thanks to you. Thank you
I love your video; video quality is great, you speak clearly, confidently and with enthusiasm, and your explanations are detailed and clear.
I just don't understand why you started at the top of the wall?
ET
Preference. He said so in the video. Doesn't matter either way. On my last job, I had gravity work in my favor, working from the ground up on the main back wall. And from the top down as for the two side walls. Both were easily accomplished..
I love the "put your ear plugs in" while no eye wear
dont want to be deaf and blind now
Thanks, very helpful!
The cement board sits on TOP of the tub flange lip, not overlapping it. By bringing the cement board all the way down over the flange lip, you increase the possibility of the cement board sucking up water through capillary action.
In my experience, about half of the pros I've observed stop at the top of the tub flange, cantilevering the tile the final 3/4 inch or so past the cement board. The other half back-cuts as shown in this video so the cement board can run down over the flange and better support the tile. It typically stops 1/4 inch above the deck. Personally, I prefer to stop the cement board at the top of the tub flange.
Thank you for all that you do!! Super insightful and clear as I am using your videos to guide me into renovating my bathroom. Subscribed!
Glad I could help! Thanks for subscribing as well!
Thx for such clear communication. This is my first time installing over backer board and had not gotten a clear answer regarding joints or waterproofing
Josh, Thanks for always giving detailed explanation and informative videos.
You are welcome! I’m glad I can help!
Hey Josh, I've been watching your video's for the last couple weeks and want to thank you for the excellent content! I'm remodeling my house now and your bathroom rough-in, tiling etc, videos have really helped me out! Great stuff!
Hi M Zerk! I’m thrilled to know people like you are watching my channel. I’ve been doing construction since I was a teenager and I love every minute of it. Remodeling is a lot of work but it’s a great way to add value to your property. Thank you for watching and good luck on your project!
@@TheExcellentLaborer, A bead of silicone on the pan behind the durarock would help with water weeping! Maybe mention about walls being "studs" being plumb. Nice video!
1000 dollar prize to
My 1000th subscriber !
great video ! i like the gluing of the cement board to the studs but feel as though i would be screwing the next redo further down the line.
It's recommended to use the green mesh tape for the joint cause of molds. The green is mold resistant
These vids are amazing.. Great patience and explanation... Bravo
Thank you. This video is great. My daughter put her foot through the tile wall and I had no idea how to fix it and couldn't afford to pay someone. Hope I'm doing it right
I hope you get what you’re looking for from the video. Good luck with the project!
Is your daughter Wonder Woman, wtf? 😂
Been installing tile new for about 20 years, the only big box we have is HD. Here's some solid advice.
1. Straight edge & plumb the studs & corners, shim if need.
2. Use Aquabar paper over your studs & go over shower lip.
3. Leave a ⅛" gap at your cement board seams (#8 nail)
4. Tape with alkali resistant mesh!
5. I have always used Flexbond thinset & had great results! We live near the 29 Palms Marine base & get shook all the time from the bombing & small quakes are the norm. I've never had a shower leak or crack.
For what its worth thats my experience tiling MANY showers.
Thank you!
Does this apply for someone who is not tiling but just putting up fiberglass (or similar) panels to create a new surround over an old bathtub? Thank you.
Perfect demonstration 👏 you're spot on Josh
Josh, Excellent video and work. You're a craftsman who cares about his workmanship. I did my bathroom a few years back. The tile work was horrible. I paid top 💵 dollar for poor quality work. My old bath was almost 50 years old. I doubt the new one will last that long. One thing is to wear a mask.
Very clear and concise video! This is exactly the info I need.
Thanks for the video. I am almost ready to tape. I found out that the manufacturer recommends a 1/16 or 1/8 gap between boards. Too late im done. Also for inside and outside corners they recommend 4 in Alkali resistant tape.
Great job. Love your simple yet thorough instructions. Im thinking of doing this to my sports room this Summer.
I never installed cbb before. I found your video presentation informative and easy to follow along. Best of all, I feel confident in tackling the job thanks to you. You've got a great attitude and obviously love what you're doing!! Mega thanks Bro!
I speak from experience, the cement board he's using is a bit on the heavy side. They have lighter weight versions available. He's a young guy who makes it look easy. Be aware of the weight. Use liquid nails as he did.
I like permabase
Good instruction. Wish all the home remodeling videos were this good!
If you are doing the whole thing including framing (new construction) you can notch the studs at the bottom - about a quarter inch or even just 3/16 inch deep, the height of the pan to allow the pan to recess into the stud wall. So much easier to notch the studs.
Great insight. Thanks!
Yeah if it's new construction
Thanks for mentioning & applying the membrane. My 80's house did not & the "drywall" crumbled behind the old tile as I was removing the tile. Codes are so different...
I like your videos but for my shower installs, I use a poly styrene backer board called "GO Board" from Johns-Mansville (approx $26 for 1/2" x 36"x 60") instead of cement board (approx$14) , Go Board is waterproof and doesn't need a painted waterproof membrane ($60-$150) or tape ($10) for the seams and the corners. They have a "GO BOARD" adhesive ($16 for a 10 oz tube) that you spread over the seams and screw heads. It cuts with a utility knife and is dense enough to use bugle head backer board screws ($35). Cement boards need a waterproof membrane painted on it to keep from absorbing moisture. I've added up the costs and using "Go Board" is about the same cost and a lot quicker and more waterproof instead of a product like cement or hardi backer board that can and will absorb moisture.
Yep and goboard is lightweight and easy to cut no dust. I agree.
Go board isn't as readily available as cement backers which stinks
One issue I have seen with goboard is that if you are going to install grab bars or anything with screws going through the tile into studs or backers, the tile can easily crack as the goboard is foam core and compresses.
No cement board doesn’t need a waterproofing over it this is all upmarket selling. Concrete board doesn’t rot , ever. Use a plastic barrier behind cement board and modified thinset ( mostly water proof).
Expensive plastic boards are a waste of money
@@tomdemeo2708
Exactly .. I love people who think shulter is the only way to go....😂
Little do they know their newly built house probably has tiles on drywall in the shower, and tile directly mortared to the subfloor ...😂😂
Hello Building Professor. You are my favorite. I’m going to watch all of you video and learn from you.
You’re great at tutorial & explanations! Starting this project and came across your bathroom series. Great resource for us!!!
you always want to use a waterproof silicone in the corners and not thin set so that there is flexibility in the corners to allow for expansion and contraction. Thin set can crack and leak if used in corners.
Nothing sticks to silicone so your tile won't stick in that area
Here's some good info. Realistically no one gets this opportunity, so I thought I'd share.
5 years ago putting in a new shower, I used the high quality laticrete hydro-ban caulk in the corners between cement boards. I had to abandon the project at this stage. No mesh tape / thinset. No further progress has been made on the project even to this day. So, I recently assessed the job and found half of these vertical 90degree corner beads of caulk had produced a fine crack. Pretty surprising and disappointing...
So, to counter this, I will be including the use of a fabric tape when painting the waterproof membrane. Maybe others should consider this secondary measure, too.
I’m not sure how my house would’ve turned out without your excellent advice
Great video didnt think about using the liquid nails.
Another fantastic showing of your work. Yes drywall background comes in really well to take and coat the corners and seams. I've used a brush as well to put the thinset in the corner and wipe it down. So glad to see the application of the sealer as well when using cement board and even hardi backer. Doesn't suck the moisture out of the thinset as quick too. Great job Josh. 👍🏻
Hey David! Yeah I felt like a Drywall Finisher there for a minute lol. Yes that’s a good point also about the water sealer protecting from pulling the water out too quick. Another plus side to waterproofing. I hope your projects are going well. Thanks for stopping by!
I'm working on my first bathroom remodel. What I did to clear the lip was use strips to shim the 2x4s in order for the cement board to clear tub lip
That makes no sense.
You explain everything in English. Good video man
This is really great and straight forward video. I've done a lot of drywalling and odd jobs construction and feel very confident in my abilities but it's always good to go through a video dry run with to make sure I'm not forgetting something; especially if it's a project I haven't done in a while. It also helps to go through the needed materials list to ensure I have everything for the job before I began. There's nothing worse than getting started only to find out you need to run back to the local hardware store! Aghhh You also have some great tricks to make the job go easier when possible.
Thanks for your video's I'm definitely a subscriber. Fireman Michael
The great video it's really going to help me a lot when I do my bathroom
Isn't it recommended to remove the paper face of the insulation if you're using a waterproof membrane over the backer board? Otherwise, mold could become an issue due to moisture being trapped between two impervious materials. I'm a complete novice, but I came across this advice several times in recent months. I learned this while researching my own project whether or not to remove the vapor barrier before installing my shower on an exterior wall. Thanks for your efforts; I've learned so much from such videos and the comments
Josh love the videos, they have been very helpful. I have one question, do you put mesh tape along the ceiling. Where the sheet rock and cement board meet
I did but it’s not really necessary. The tile covers up that area and you really don’t see the corner and it doesn’t function as waterproofing either. So it’s really not necessary but I did for a full complete look. Hope that helps!
Hi Josh, I've just discovered your channel and I must say you are an amazing teacher . I have a couple of questions. About a month before watching your video, I installed 1/4 inch cement board on the Walls of my shower, is that a problem? Can I do anything to it to make it work? Or do I have to remove it and use 1/2 inch? My second question is, do the walls need to be perfectly level or the bit of unevenness can be even out with thinset when tiling?
Thank you
Your videos are great. Watching at 2x speed, which makes you sound even more expert...
Buying some things through your store now - thank you! You explain everything very clearly that a beginner like me can follow very easily.
Good stuff. The most important thing I can reinforce is never to run cement board or drywall over the lip of a shower pan. EVER. Both will wick moisture. Both will fail.
You run the sheets into the tray stopping 3-5 mm short of the tray bottom and then silicon seal the gap . Water proof the sheets . Run the tiles down the same and silicon seal the gap .
A title guys with years of experience says that you place the cement board on top of the lip of the pan to stop water wicking up. leaving that space means water can't travel up and make contact with the cement board. Yes, you can use caulking between the gaps if you rest the cement board on the base, but cauling won't stop water perminately, especially in a shower with plenty of water spashing around.
Very detalied video awesome! I AM PLANNING on changng my shower tiles and your video will help me! I want to also change my shower tub to like in your video shower pan
Dang. This video helped me a lot. We are doing a tile redi pan and I had so many questions on process.
I’m glad this video was helpful for you. Good luck with your project!
I sit and watch this channel often , wonder why I haven’t subscribed. Anyway finally hit the damn button, thank you for all you’ve helped me with . Doing a shower stall now in tile . 🙏🙏
My new favorite channel
Glad to hear! I love DIY construction. I’ve been doing this business for years and enjoy just about every minute of it. Thanks for watching!
thank you! for all the little details on every projects.
Your videos are great it motivated me to do my shower walls!
excellent explaining the details very good
Thanks David. I try to keep my videos as detailed as possible. Take care!
Hey Josh, I agree with all the other comments, EXCELLENT series on cement board, shower pan install, tiling, and grout... Complete and Fantastic stuff.
I have a shower that needs every single onenof these vids. From shower pan replacing to tiling. I feel 1,000% more comfortable with rhe whole project having your vids in my back pocket. Will let you know how it goes/turna out.
Ciao
Hm? ... I didn't know that water-proofing was necessary after placing cement board and thinner on the joints? Or, that there is a water-proofing product available and it is applied onto the cement board as if I were painting with a roller. Hm? ... Glad I saw this video. Thanks!
Nice well done video.
And I’m here for the comments as well.
Hi thank you , you are amazing . I’m not sure if I can follow all the same steps if I have a shower pan liner instead of a shower pan?
1-Plywood on the base is a good idea, but the crumbs from the cement board will get between the plywood and the shower base. Protect the base completely with cardboard or whatever before the plywood.
2-First shim the the studs out from top to bottom to accommodate the shower pan up turn on all the walls including the walls out side the shower so sheetrock and cement board are in plane .
3-Start from bottom up leaving a 1/4 gap on ontop of the shower base. Much easier.
4-Leave 1/8 inch between sheets for mortar to key into the sheet.
The but joints on the shorter walls will create a bulge in the wall do to orientation of the boards.
5-Fiber tape needs to be ALKALINE resistant!
6-The thinset around the mud ring on the diveter is pointless. The mud ring gets removed when valve is trimmed out.
7-Water proofing is optional not mandatory!
8- Water proofing comes in 1 gallon buckets.
Hi, when leaving the 1/4” gap between the backer and shower flange, what do you recommend doing to seal it? I haven’t started my shower yet and there’s all different ways people are doing it. I’m going to use butyl tape from the flange to the studs before putting backer up as well.
@@vanessap8717 The 1/4 gap should be sealed with a flexible sealant. "caulking". In the real world I never sealed that joint . I relied on the silicone at the shower base and finished wall tile. By leaving the space open you eliminate the possibility of water ever wicking up the backer board. The flexible sealant is the correct thing to do though!
@@vanessap8717 as stated, that bottom gap should be hit with a bead of 100% silicone, prior to tile installation. Keeps the job watertight and prevents water from wicking into the cement board.
Man, that's a lot of work! Really well done video.
It is a lot of work. The final project turns out great. Thanks for watching!
@@TheExcellentLaborer 7:28 - can I install my cement board in my shower and then have a drywall guy come? Or should I do like you did and have drywall finished and then install my cement board?
@@chrisbarfield1468either way. Just have cement board and tile go beyond shower door and inch or so ideally. Make sure you stud well there for your door system.
Wow this video is so informative , exactly what i was looking for
Good information I am going to Lowe’s soon to buy the kit
Excellent job,just enough talk to explain what you are doing :)
Wonderful and Thank you For This Video !!!!
Thank you too!
Josh, excellent videos. Thanks,
I have a question. My son's contractor did a poor job laying tiles on his shower floor. The shower has a square drain and the contractor grouted all the way around four sides of the drain. Now for basic clean up and hair clogs removal, we have no way of easily pulling off the drain cover. Would it be safe to use some scouring knife or rotary blade to scrap off the grout on all four sides of the drain screen? They can't even use the shower anymore as the water pools on shower floor and takes long long time to slowly drain, in the meantime, standing water is weakening the floor and dislodging the tiles. Thank you for your (or fellow reader's) helpful comments.
Pretty much all drains have a removable strainer aka "grate" either by removing 1 or 2 screws. If you don't see any screws it is probably just snapped in and held by friction. Grouted on all sides is generally as it should be. Good luck
Bottom piece You don't have to cut halfway to fit the tub. I always use thin set to cover up when doing the taping.
I used cement board twice and then switched to Hardi board that is so much easier to work with, your thoughts?
Marvelous Josh!!!!
Thank you, Carolyn!
Wow i love how you work and make things look so easy to install. I wish i could learn some of your tricks, were you located so i can work for you.😁
Hi Josh, thanks a lot for you videos. They are great and straight to the point. One question I have is regarding the gap between the backer board and the ceiling. Do I need to fill it in with thin set or something, or just fill it after tile is installed (with silicon calk)? I am going to install tiles up to the ceiling. Thanks a lot.
Do both.
They have special mesh tape for concrete board. Always use materials rated for the build.
Should have shown us how the cement board looked at the bottom edge of the shower panel. Does it touch the lip of the panel or is it 1/8”+ gap to avoid water absorption? Thanks
Rests within the cut out which was made.
It's best if you tape it around with butyl tape and set the durock just above lip
@@erikurrutia1500 hey, how do you seal it afterwards? I saw a guy use mesh tape to cover the gap between backer board and shower flange and then thinset like the other seams, before using the aqua defence. Is that a good way to do it?
@@vanessap8717 if you leave your backer right above the lip and the use mesh tape on the seam the add thinset with a flat trowel or putty knife to fill the void. When that sets up use a waterproof membrane on all the backerboard all the way down to where it meets the fiberglass pan. I recommend taping the fiberglass pan at the 90° angle where they come together. Then peel the tape and good to go.
@@erikurrutia1500 the lip on my pan is too thick to cut and overlap. So you’re saying I can butt the Durok to the lip and use butyl tape to cover where they meet?
Well I did one of my first shower tile jobs directly onto old plaster walls a few months back. Hopefully I get some time out of it at least. I took down the old shower wall insert paneling, scraped as best I could, waterproofed two coats, then used a product called echo prim to provide a rough cement board like surface for thin set to adhere too. I’d like to hear your thoughts on this. If nothing else, it was good practice. Thx!
Fail, you needed to use an uncoupling membrane if you want to go over plaster or drywall
By far the best video currently up for cement board! Just wish he said what oscillating tool blade he uses
Use a diamond oscillating head. I hope that helps!
@@TheExcellentLaborer Thanks Josh
Thanks you explained everything very well. Nice video you’ve gained a new sub 👍🏾
Excellent instruction... super clean work space.... easy to understand. Thank you.
Almost thought there was an outlet in the shower until I saw it was facing the other direction 😂Great video man.
Hey, Josh. thank you for sharing your knowledge. Now I would have some ideas and apply to; what my contractor does and say.
Im renovating right now, i didn't liquid nail the sheets but did use the proper hardware, what's your thoughts if I skipped this step?
If you already did the work, I would not worry about it too much. Liquid nails is definitely a great reinforcement. Hope that helps!
When COVID hit I had plenty of masks, because I had lots of mortar to mix… hope you are using one when you mix that stuff.
I agree. Use a mask while cutting cement board as well. Stay safe.
Nail plates for wiring?
Gr8 vid
Typically the wiring is in the center of the wall plate and it will not hit it but if you feel like you should definitely do so. Thanks a lot Rodney!
Many thanks!👍👍
There's a bit of controversy about whether or not an installer should, or should not cover the lip of the shower base (or imbed their board in the shower bedding if not using a fiberglass base as you are) to prevent water from wicking up into the concrete board.
The idea is to end the sheet short of the shower pan lip and the tile would overhang onto the lip of the pan (in your case). What is your opinion regarding this? How does your method prevent wicking?
wouldn't the mortar on the back of the tiles wick water about the same as cement board would..? isn't cement board essentially a pane or panel of reinforced mortar?
You check out the framing at the bottom so that the shower tray sets in and ends up flush with the framing . You run the sheets into the shower tray stopping 3-5 mm short of the tray bottom . You silicon seal the 3-5 mm gap . You water proof the cement sheets . You lay the tiles 3-5 mm short of the tray bottom and silicon seal the gap between the bottom of the tiles and the tray .
Thanks for sharing your experience and this video
Great video!! Thanks for taking your time and doing it. 👍
great video, Mr. Laborer.
Josh, thank you for taking time to show step by step process, being so thorough. I Have never done any of these projects, but you sure do a great job taking the mystery out of building a home DIY.
I am in the early stages of planning to build a house, and I want to do most of the work myself so "can save a ton of money" and get the satisfaction of doing it myself. I have subscribed to your channel, and will be watching many more videos.
Your channel is the MOST thorough and BEST channel I have found on home building. No one shows, and explains it as simple as you. Thanks a bunch and keep up the great work. You are helping lots of people! ALL the best to ya!
This is the technique I prefer when installing I like the concrete board on wall alone more solid I use redgard basically same a aqua d thinset bonds extremely well to it