Good morning all. I just gutted my 42 sq ft bathroom and intend to install cement board in the tub/shower enclosure. What should I use on the rest of the walls and ceiling? All greenboard? Greenboard on the walls, regular 1/2″ on the ceiling? Also, since the plaster over wallboard that I removed was thicker than 1/2″, is there any advantage to using 5/8″ rock anywhere? Thanks for any comments.
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I use cement board in the wet areas, greenboard for the rest of the walls, and regular 1/2" for the ceiling. Greenboard isn't recommended for ceilings because it iasn't as stiff as reg. rock, and will sag over time.
I will usually make rippings to bring the rock out even with any window or door jambs. You also need to shim the cement board out so it comes over the tub flange.
You can used 5/8" if it works OK, but there's usually more problems getting it flush with any other cement or wall board.
Thanks Shep. I didn't know that about the propensity of greenboard to sag. I will use regular 1/2" perpendicular to the ceiling joists. One of the spaces between the ceiling joists is 22" wide. I can easily add another ceiling joist to protect against the rock sagging. Is that overkill?
It doesn't hurt to use 5/8 on the ceiling, to get the extra stiffness. You don't have to mate it up with cement board, usually, and don't have to worry about the thickness around windows and doors."Generally", 1/2" drywall will do OK on 24" centers -- but remember that "generally" means "not particularly". It certainly won't hurt to add more ceiling supports, though I'd probably add blocking/purlins rather than another parallel joist.
Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm but the harm does not interest them. --T.S. Eliot
There is some new "paperless" stuff out that's supposed to be a better choice than greenboard for this situation. Haven't tried it, though.