Please look at the photo first. You see I’ve put up Hardibacker and taped the joints using mesh tape and thinset. There will be an edge of tile (this is the opening into the shower stall) running vertically on the left edge. The width of this wall is about 5 inches, and the tile width will be about 3 inches. Everything to the right will be a painted wall. Yesterday I attached the metal drywall corner and put on a light layer of joint compound. I had it running a little beyond the joint (where the tile stops and the painted joint compound begins) and then I worried that the thinset bed for the tile wouldn’t stick to the joint compound, so I scraped the joint compound back away from the joint. Was this necessary? Or could I have just spread out the thinset for the 3-inch wide tile and had it overlap the joint compound an inch or so? I wasn’t sure, so I took a picture just now and am asking you all to take a look? Thanks.
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I'd use Durabond joint compund here and feel confident which I wouldn't with ready mix.
To clairfy... the tile will cover the left 3" of the 5" wall, paint remaining 2" and around corner...correct?
I'd agree with the setting compound suggestion.
Barbara, I'd also have some concern about the amount of flange showing through on the corner metal. The bead is usually a bit more proud of the flange so you can skate your drywall knife on it. The compound build on the flange is maybe 1/16" to 1/8" so your flange doesn't telegraph through to final finish... makes a crisp corner that is actually a smidgen less than 90 degrees.
Maybe I'm not seeing it well.
Have you considered wrapping the corner in tile?
PJ
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
Yes, tile on leftmost 3", then paint from there on to the right and around the corner. As for the thin layer of mud on the left half of the metal cornerbead, I did that on purpose. I wanted the cornerbead in place so I could continue with the paint on the adjacent wall. As for the rest of the joint compound on the 5" wall, I was gonna do that after I finished the tilework. Now this Durabond stuff, what is it? Is it a special type of drywall compound or is it something else? I'm assuming that when I set the tile edging, the thinset will bond to it. Oh, and if I go get the Durabond, does Home Depot have it? And should I apply it to the entire width of the 5" wall, or just up to where the tile edge will be? Thanks for your help.
Edit: I just googled Durabond and I see it is fast-setting joint compound. I have a bag of FastSet40 I got at Home Depot. Would that work just as well in this instance?
Edited 12/29/2006 4:42 pm ET by BarbaraD
Yep, that's the stuff. I'd probably use a 3" knife to finish the tile side, might even run some tape to keep mud off the part you'll cover. Thinset will stick to the setting mud.
My approach would be to finish all drywall right down to primer on all surfaces, THEN tile. Your grout will be a better way to finish off than drywall compound.PJ
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.