Choose a durable construction material when replacing bathroom walls.
Wallboard in a bathroom comes in frequent contact with water and moisture. Many times, homeowners and bath contractors hung drywall in bathrooms. Drywall does not stand up to damp conditions. Drywall absorbs water and causes rot to framing structures, along with mold and mildew growth. When replacing bathroom wallboard, use cement board, which stands up to damp conditions. Cement board is noncombustible, water-resistant and mold-resistant. It will not absorb water and become soggy the way drywall can. Cement board is a cementitious building material that comes in the same size as drywall sheets. It is heavier to work with, but the most durable solution for bathroom walls.
Instructions
1. Remove the existing drywall, green board or blue board from the wall studs. Cut a hole in the old covering, using a drywall saw. Do not begin cuts near electrical switches or receptacles. Insert a flat pry bar or the claw end of a hammer into the hole and pull the wallboard off the wall studs. Continue until no old wallboard remains. Pull all nails with a claw hammer, or back screws out of the studs, using a power screwdriver to remove them.
2. Measure and mark the cement board for cutting. Include cutouts for all obstacles, including electrical outlets, switches and plumbing pipes.
3. Score the cement board with a utility knife along long, straight lines. Place the cement board over a piece of lumber along the scored line and press to snap it. Lift the board and bend it. Cut the intact fiberglass mesh holding the board together, using a utility knife. Make cuts for obstacles with a jigsaw equipped with a carbide-tipped blade. Use a carbide-tipped hole saw blade installed in a power drill to make round or circular cuts.
4. Smooth the rough-cut cement board edges with 80-grit sandpaper.
5. Attach the cement board to the with 1-1/2-inch cement board screws driven in with a power screwdriver. Drive screws in every 5 to 6 inches around the perimeter, 1/2 inch from the edge of the cement board. Drive screws in every 10 to 12 inches through the cement board into wall studs through the field. If the wall studs are not level, place wood shims between the cement board and the studs to create an even wall surface. Cement board will not give and bend and will crack if you do not use shims to correct an uneven wall.
6. Apply self-sticking fiberglass to all seams. Apply drywall joint compound with a flexible putty knife over the fiberglass mesh tape and over the screw heads. Allow the joint compound to dry completely, typically one to two hours. Sand the joint compound surface smooth with 220-grit sandpaper. Fiberglass mesh tape does not require a coat of joint compound prior to laying the tape because it is self-sticking.
Tags: cement board, , joint compound, fiberglass mesh, mesh tape
