I am planning on doing cement around bath and shower in my home. i already have cement backer board up and wire mesh screening. what do i use to make it not crack and smooth and what material do i use
Not very practical. How do you clean the concrete surface? That's why tile is so popular, it's washable. Say nothing for smooth stone, Corian, even fiberglass bath panels. It will be mildewed and soap scum stained within a month of use. No thanks, not in my house.
You what now? As long as you framed it properly it should be fine. Why not just get/ build a whole new tub? To answer your question more to the point... Tile it. Or use some kind of vinyl sheet tub surround. Its easy to work with/customize to your needs and installs easily with glue. Just make sure you seal it well and secure the edges so they don't wiggle or you'll get mold in behind it.
You're welcome to do whatever you want, but concrete is porous like grout. Ever seen nasty grout? Even sealed grout gets disgusting without proper maintenance (ie squeegee) and cleaning. Imagine that all over the wall. Even if you make it ultra smooth and seal it my guess is that this would get disgusting in a hurry...unless you happen to have a power washer in your bathroom... ;)
