| As
far as I know, you can substitute cement tile backer
(such as Durock®) and tile for drywall and tub
surround.
One question I have is: Are
you planning on leaving all (or most) of the drywall intact?
I suppose you could leave the
drywall in place, put Durock on the floor and then install the
shower base. Then you would need to install Durock on the
walls (over the existing drywall) and make sure the
cement board overhangs the flange of the shower base. This
prevents water from getting behind the base.
Then you could apply any type
of wall tile... but there is still the issue of what to do at
the edge of the Durock cement board. Normally there are
special edge tiles used for a junction between tile and
drywall, but I can't say I've seen any that would conceal the
edge of 1/2" thick Durock.
The more customary method of
construction (I think) would be to cut away the drywall
around the shower and install the Durock flush with the
drywall. But... you need to provide adequate backing for the
edges of the drywall and cement board. I would prefer to
install full 2x4 studs or blocking to provide a good nailing
surface for the entire perimeter of the Durock and the cut
edges of the drywall.
With only part of the
drywall removed, it might be complicated to maneuver any
pieces of blocking behind the edges of the wallboard. You
really need to provide good backing around these edges...
without proper backing the drywall edges are very weak. If the
Durock flexes much, the wall tiles may fall off someday. And
the joint between the two surfaces will be difficult to fill
and keep sealed.
Consequently, applying Durock
OVER the existing drywall is an appealing approach, but only
if the edge can be concealed without a lot of trouble.
The glass shower panels I've
seen need to be installed AFTER the wall treatment is done,
whether it is tile or plastic shower surround material. The
glass shower wall panels are attached to the walls with screws
and anchors, and the panel-to-wall junction is caulked with
silicone or equivalent.
Bruce W. Maki, Editor.
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