There was actually only a tub there and no shower, so the walls are all plaster. I know that before I tile I need a different backerboard, meaning the plaster goes at least to a point. Any hints, tips, directions, and suggestions on how to do the job?
You dont necessarily need to remove the plaster, but i would recommend removing it. cut the plaster out to half inch short of where you are going to tile to, so that the tile will lap onto the plaster a little. this will get rid of any patching, painting, ect. In the place of the removed plaster, install half inch cement fiberboard, costs around $10 per 3ftX5ft sheet. install with screws every 8 inches on each stud. use mesh tape in joints of fiberboard and float the joints with thinset. i would also recommend using a sealer that is specifically designed for cement fiber board under tile in the shower. dont remember the name off hand, but you can roll or brush it on and it turns bright red when it is dry. then use ceramic tile adhesive to set the tile on the walls. be sure to seal the grout joints in the tile after the grout has set for 3 or 4 days. 2 coats of sealer recommended. you can tell the sealer is working if you put a drop of water on the grout joint after the sealer has had at least 24 hours to dry, if the drop of water stays in a small bead shape then the sealer is doing its job, if the water drop soaks into the grout and darkens it, then the grout needs another coat of sealer. dont know if you are tileing the floor of the shower or using a shower pan , but that is a whole nother issue. any questions email me
If okorder /... If you haven't done tile before, then you may want to hire someone. Even through Schluter's Kerdi system makes the shower a lot easier, I wouldn't recommend that you take on this project without a bit experience with tile. A shower even with this simple system is one of the hardest tile projects there is. But if you have tiled backsplashes or tub surrounds then get the CD-ROM or video, and study it, and go for it. My suggestion is make sure you run the tile plumb and level, get that Kerdi-Mat flat and well bonded, you are going to have to float the curb (the mat when lapped itself, builds up a ridge, you'll see) so use a straight edge. Use a mosaic two inch for the floor. Caulk the inside corners. A simpler thing would be to get a fiberglass pan, and just tile the walls. You still need to waterproof the walls with Kerdi-Mat or a combination of concrete board over tar-paper. An excellent book is Setting Tile by Micheal Bryne. It will show more details than a describe here. Good Luck
