Do you need to put a vapor barrier behind cement board?

If it's a cement board, you need a vapor barrier, because cement retains moisture, which means the wood next to it is always damp. It does retain moisture, but the advice given by others here is to move the waterproofing between the tile and cement board with products like Redguard or Ditra.

What goes behind cement board in shower?

Don't use paper-faced backer board, i.e., paper-faced drywall, behind seamed tub and shower enclosures. Use an alternate approved product such as fiber-cement, fiber-reinforced gypsum, glass mat gypsum, or fiber mat-reinforced cementitious backer panels.

Do you need a vapor barrier behind Hardie board?

Depending on your local building authority having jurisdiction (the AHJ) over your building codes, vapor barriers are almost always required, whether your builder uses James Hardie products or some other, inferior product.

Do you need waterproof membrane on cement board?

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

Do I need a vapor barrier behind my shower?

Moisture barriers stop that water or vapor from getting any farther and potentially rotting your studs, the drywall or greenboard installed behind the enclosure. They are required beneath your shower pan and behind your shower walls.

Vapor Barriers: Need one or not?

Do you put drywall behind cement board?

(Some cement board products may not require the underlying membrane if the seams are properly waterproofed.) In such wet areas, never install cement board directly over drywall or green board. Instead, first, remove the existing surface material, then install the cement board over the studs and membrane, as applicable.

Does Durock cement board need waterproofing?

Even though water will not affect USG Durock^® Cement Board with EdgeGuard, the board alone is not waterproof. If waterproofing is desired, apply a waterproofing membrane such as USG Durock^™ Waterproofing Membrane or USG Durock™ Liquid Waterproofing and Crack Isolation Membrane over the cement board.

Is cement board mold resistant?

Unlike wood-based materials such as plywood or products that contain some wood such as drywall, cement board lacks organic matter, making it resistant to mold, rot, shrinkage, or decomposition.

Which is better cement board or Hardibacker?

HardieBacker is much more light, and it is also the best selling brand of cement board available. It is much cleaner because it does not have any glass in it. It allows for a smooth job with minimal mess. As a bonus, HardieBacker board has an EZ Grid pattern so you can cut perfect lines.

What do you use behind Hardie board?

Either is acceptable, but we recommend that the smooth side with the nailing pattern of every 8" on center go up. What subfloor should HardieBacker® cement board be installed over? The minimum subfloor specified is 5/8" exterior grade plywood or 23/32'' exterior grade OSB subflooring.

Can Hardie board go directly on studs?

HardiePlank® lap siding can be installed over braced wood or steel studs spaced a maximum of 24" o.c. or directly to minimum 7/16" thick OSB sheathing. See General Fastening Requirements. Irregularities in framing and sheathing can mirror through the finished application.

Is RedGard a vapor barrier?

It bonds directly to clean metal drains, PVC, stainless steel and ABS drain assemblies and can be used as a slab-on-grade moisture vapor barrier under all types of floor coverings. RedGard® is a liquid-applied elastomeric waterproofing material that cures to form a monolithic membrane.

Do you need insulation behind shower walls?

When tubs and showers are installed on exterior walls, builders may forget to insulate and air seal the exterior wall behind the tub or shower surround. Neglecting to insulate and air seal here can result in significant heat loss and complaints from homeowners about tubs, showers, and bathrooms that are always cold.

Does shower pan liner go behind backer board?

The wallboard must be installed 1/8 inch above the shower pan. If the shower pan is not in place, the wallboard height must be guessed, which can lead to inaccuracies and an expansion gap that is too large or too small.

What do you do with a gap between tub and cement board?

Technically, after the tile is installed over the backer board that gap between it and the tub ledge should be filled with an ASTM C920 sealant (caulking e.g. silicone). Although some say you should have weep holes along this gap so any water behind can weep out into the tub.

Can you shower with just cement board?

There are several acceptable applications of cement board in the shower. All applications pair up the tile board with some kind of waterproofing material, whether a liquid membrane, plastic sheeting, an uncoupling membrane like Schluter Kerdi, or a board that is already faced with waterproofing.

Which is better green board or cement board?

Cement backer board such as Durock is best used for tile in highly wet applications such as shower stalls, with greenboard and other water-resistant drywall panels kept only to high-humidity areas. Greenboard's paper facing alone does not inhibit mold growth. The facing must be treated with mold-resisting agents.

Should I use green board or cement board?

So, again green board is generally used for the walls in the bathroom that will not come in direct contact to water. Cement board is sometimes called Durock, Wonderboard, and Hardibacker. It is used for wet applications in tubs walls, shower walls, and floors.

Can durock get mold?

Durock is a concrete tile backer board that is water and fire resistant. It made up of ground up concrete that is wrapped with fiberglass mesh around it to help hold it together. You can submerge Durock under water and it will not disintegrate or mold.

Is cement board water-resistant?

Cement board is not waterproof. It absorbs moisture as well, but it has excellent drying properties.

Can you use 1/4 cement board walls?

1/4" hardibacker alone is an unsuitable substrate for shower wall tile. If it were attached to properly waterproofed drywall, plywood, or plaster it would be fine. Think about it, one wayward elbow, knee, or hip bump and you may get flexion which would cause the grout (or tile) to crack.

Can you use 1/4 inch cement board on floors?

1/4" USG Durock® cement board is an ideal substrate for floor and countertop ceramic tile installations. The 1/4" thickness helps eliminate transition trim when abutting carpet or wood flooring and minimize level variations with other finish materials.

Can I put cement board over drywall in a shower?

With tile showers, in particular, you can have a lifetime guarantee as long as you follow the proper installation methods. While it might sound like a good idea to install cement backer board over drywall before tiling the shower, the reality is that the drywall should be removed beforehand in most instances.