This is Permabase cement board mounted to the studs with 2″ deck screws about every 8″. I cut it with an angle grinder and a 4″ masonry blade. The cutting should be done outside due to the dust it produces. Permabase can be scored and cut, but using a grinder makes a much cleaner and more accurate cut. It’s installed with a ¼” gap above the tub. The joints have been covered with alkali-resistant mesh tape and then filled with thinset. USG mesh tape is sticky  on one side, so it can be put in place on it’s own, then skim-coated. Permabase edges are beveled so that the mesh tape and thinset doesn’t make a hump on the wall. The screw holes have also been skimmed to make a flat surface for the liquid waterproofing. The thinset is allowed to dry overnight.

When the walls were framed up for this tub, the opening was a little wider than it needed to be. The studs were also a little out of plumb. I used my table saw and ripped some 1×4′s to the appropriate widths to make the walls plumb, and flush with the lip of the tub. You can see the lighter-colored wood attached to the studs behind the CBU. These furring strips allow the CBU to sit in front of the tub lip, as opposed to bending them out from the framing and making  the  wall  out of plumb in the bottom few inches. As stated before, I used 2″ screws to make sure the screws went through the CBU, the furring strips, and well into the stud. A shorter screw might not have been long enough to reach into the stud.

There is a ¼” gap between the Permabase and tub. This joint is filled with silicone. You don’t want the CBU in contact with the tub or wicking will occur, causing  the  bottom  of  the CBU to be saturated. The silicone acts as a “moisture barrier” between the tub and CBU. The silicone needs to be smoothed out so that it doesn’t stand proud of the CBU (raised and uneven) and cause problems later when the tile is put up.

Protect your tub with a tarp or heavy paper. Here my tarp slid off the side into the tub during the demolition and a section of old tile fell and chipped the tub. A tub repair kit can be used to repair damage such as this later, but caution is cheaper.

Laticrete 9235 liquid waterproofing is applied to the CBU joints with a disposable brush, in conjunction with the 6″ wide fabric supplied with 9235. This strengthens the seams and makes a more monolithic waterproofing membrane.

I then used a standard paint roller to completely cover the CBU with 9235, making sure that every square inch of the CBU is covered. This coat dries fairly quickly (2-3 hours) and a second generous coat is applied to ensure adequate coverage. For the second coat, I painted the two corners and down near the tub with a brush, then rolled the field up to about an inch from the ceiling, which is well above the shower head.

The products used in the preparation phase of this project include the following:

GE Silicone II® water proof caulk. Caulk that keeps water out is a necessity in areas that will be exposed to water, such as this tub surround, so a permanently waterproof caulk is needed. If the caulk is not permanently waterproof, the area could be left vulnerable to water damage and mold growth.

PermaBase® Cement Board is a rigid substrate made of Portland cement, aggregate and glass mesh that provides an exceptionally hard, durable surface that is able to withstand prolonged exposure to moisture.

LATICRETE 9235 Waterproofing Membrane is a thin, load-bearing waterproofing designed specifically for the special requirements of ceramic tile, stone and brick installations. A self-curing liquid rubber polymer and a reinforcing fabric are quickly applied to form a flexible, seamless waterproofing membrane that bonds to a wide variety of substrates.

USG Tile Backer Tape USG tapes are made of alkali-resistant, polymer-coated, glass-fiber mesh and are specially designed to reinforce the joints and corners of cement board. Its polymer coating offers protection from high-alkali Portland cement mortars, and it resists cracking.

This is the first in a 2-part series on shower and tub surrounds. This completes the preparation portion of the project. Please see the next article on installing the tile for this project.

In part 1, the preparations finished up with the application of Laticrete 9235. After the 9235 is completely dry, usually overnight, I start with the first row of tiles. Getting the first row level is extremely important since successive rows will sit on top. I did the back wall first so that the cuts in the corner are not as noticeable. After the first row is complete, I use a spacer board the appropriate width to allow for the glass and stone listello that will be installed later. The weight of the tile holds the boards in place. Be sure that the width of the board allows for the listello and a little bit of grout on either side. Making sure the boards are all the exact same width ensures that the tiles will stay level.

These tiles are rather large 18×18 porcelain. I skim-coated the walls with thinset, then combed thinset on the back of each tile with a ¼x⅜x¼” trowel for maximum coverage. I used good quality Stanley levels (one 4′, one 2′) to keep everything in line. I also used plastic Tile Spikes to help level the first row, and on some of the subsequent rows. If you install much tile, you’ll find that very often tile is not consistent in size. The spikes help make up for these inconsistencies. I also made cutouts in the corners for two soap dishes that will be added later.

After the tile has set overnight, the boards are carefully removed. The listello used here came in 12×12 sheets mounted on mesh. The sheets were cut into  three  equal  strips,  then  mounted on the wall with thinset using the same trowel as before. I then use a grout float to push the tile into the thinset and  keep  everything flat. A few more tile spikes were used to keep them from sagging until the thinset dried. I also mounted the two soap dishes, using thinset and packing  tape  to hold them up until the thinset dried. I used a small torpedo level to make sure the dishes were sloped very slightly so that water would run off. I also installed the bullnose tile at this stage (not shown).

Now that all the tile is up and the thinset has had the chance to dry overnight, I move on to grouting. I decided to use two different color grouts to make the listello stand out more. I put masking tape over the grout joints of the 18×18 tile where it meets the listello to keep grout from getting in. I then grout the listello with unsanded Mapei Chamois grout. Unsanded grout is used when the grout joints are ⅛” wide or smaller. The next day, I use the darker sanded  Mapei  Mocha  grout  for the larger tiles, being careful not to get this darker grout on the listello. I let the grout dry overnight before putting on the
final touches.

There is a small gap at the ceiling and, because of the thick layer of thinset, a gap between the bullnose tile and the drywall. At the ceiling, I used acrylic latex caulk, which matches the paint on the ceiling. If the ceiling is a color other than white, the caulk can be painted, or another color of caulk can be used. Since this area won’t see any significant moisture, it’s okay to use the less expensive paintable caulk. If the gaps are wide, you can use strips of foam backer rod to fill the gap before caulking. This will keep you from having to use too much caulk, which causes the caulk to shrink and crack when it dries.

I used white silicone to caulk between the tub and tile. The silicone matches the tub, and will hold up better than acrylic latex caulk. Silicone is more flexible, but more importantly, it resists moisture better than non-silicone caulks. I also re-installed the shower  door. Since I furred out the walls, the opening is now a little smaller, so I had to cut some of the metal framing down. I used clear silicone to seal off the frame and keep water from getting out. I used masonry bits to drill holes into the walls, then I used drywall anchors and screws to mount the two side pieces. Silicone is also used to hold the bottom door track onto the tub. Never drill into the tub to mount the door track. If you drill holes into the tub, eventually it will leak and cause problems.

The valve trim pieces and tub spout are replaced as is the shower head. The tub is ready for use now that the silicone has been allowed to dry overnight. I’ll need to do some drywall work on both sides of the shower, but that won’t affect the use of the shower.

This completes the porcelain tile surround for this tub. You can do this yourself by following these guidelines, or you can call a tile professional for a worry-free job that will last you a lifetime. If you would like an estimate on doing your tile project, please contact me for a quality professional job.

Allergies and Carpet

Carpet is installed in almost every home in the U.S. Carpet is an inexpensive and comfortable type of flooring. It’s a good insulator, which means it’s more comfortable to the bare feet than solid floors like tile or wood. It’s available in many colors, styles, and prices, which adds to its popularity. But for many people, carpet can be a significant hindrance to their health.

Carpet is simply a fabric that is held together with some type of backing and installed over a foam padding. The carpet itself can harbor a large amount of dust and dirt and the padding can hold more than the carpet. No matter how much you vacuum, you cannot get all the dirt out of the carpet. Some dirt and especially sand, gets into the carpet and eventually works it way to the padding and maybe even to the subfloor. A vacuum cleaner is not strong enough to pull sand or dirt from underneath the carpet or padding.

I have personally torn carpet out of houses that were kept very clean. Underneath the carpet and padding is a dustpan full of dirt and other debris. The dirt and dust that resides under your carpet will aggravate your allergies to no end. As long as you have carpet, you will suffer from your allergies. The only way to prevent this is to get the carpet out of the house.

There is a large trend toward the installation of tile and wood floors throughout the entire house. While the cost is somewhat higher, the relief from allergies is well worth the cost. The difference is that you can actually see the dirt and dust on the tile or wood floor and you can clean it up. Not so with carpet. Another advantage to tile or wood over carpet is the durability factor. If you have children or pets, you know what a mess they can make. How much easier is it to clean their messes from a solid surface as opposed to a fabric? If you have health problems due to allergies, you should seriously consider removing the carpet from your home and installing a solid surface floor.