Replies

1. 
   DanH | Jan 13, 2005 12:28am | #1

   Our local tile shop recommended the metal lath and thinset approach, and it turned out well. Never tried backer board on the floor.

2. 
   byrnesie | Jan 13, 2005 12:42am | #2

   I like Dur-Rock panels. After I screw them down w/ dur-rock screws I fiber mesh tape the seams then hit the joints with thinset - if you're using quick-setting type thinset you can start tiling that much sooner. Also, I always put the mesh tape along the tub and joint the dur-rock tight to the tub to make a nice seal where a common leak occurs.

3. 
   JeffBuck | Jan 13, 2005 01:22am | #3

   if the floor is flat ....

   backer board is fine.

   It's what I use all the time ... trowel down some thinset first .. lay the backer into the fresh thinset ... nail or screw down ... try to not hit the joists ...

   come tile laying time ... thinset over the seams and apply a CBU mesh ... not drywall mesh ... different stuff and feather the thinset over the mest .... lay tile as per the norm.

   or ... try to find the self stick CBU mesh tape ... self stick it down .... feather coat on top and tile away.

   a full mud job is lots more labor intensive ... some say better ... I disagree if the sub floor is in good shape to begin with.

   full mud beds are from the days of pine board sub floors and hand hewn joists ...

   shower pans .. that's a different story... full mud bed there.

   Jeff

     Buck Construction 

      Artistry in Carpentry

           Pgh, PA

1. 
   DanH | Jan 13, 2005 01:38am | #4

   I'm not sure what I did qualified as a "full mud bed" or not. First put a box of deck screws into the existing 1/2" plywood underlayment (to tie it firmly to the 3/4" plywood subfloor). Then fastened down expanded metal lath with fence staples, keeping it as flat as possible. Next troweled thinset over the mesh, just brushing the top of the mesh with the trowel. Added about 7/16" thickness, I would guess.

1. 
   EricPaulson | Jan 13, 2005 03:12am | #6

   Dan,

   I used to do a few of those when I worked for someone else.

   We called it a skim coat job.

   Very strong, and good for keeping height under control if you have decent subfloors beneath.

   EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,

   With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.

2. 
   EricPaulson | Jan 13, 2005 03:10am | #5

   Jeff,

   Learn me something here Bud.

   You try not to hit the joists? Why?

    

   Special fiba tape for CBU? Never heard of it. Enlighten me.

    

   By the way........and I'll be starting a new thread, and looking at JB's site........

   I'm gonna be doing a shower that is dropped, or stepped down from the main bath floor. Ever see a detail drawing of this feature?

   AND, I'm gonna do a preslope on this one, just to keep you and Boris happy!!

   Hope all is well with you.

   EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,

   With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.

1. 
   JeffBuck | Jan 13, 2005 06:17am | #7

   "You try not to hit the joists? Why?"

   theory is so the tile underlayment doesn't move with the house framing ...

   "uncoupled" as the saying goes ... I don't worry too much about it ... just don't make it a point of purposely following the framing.

    

   "Special fiba tape for CBU? Never heard of it. Enlighten me."

   I just ask for the backer board tape at my tile store. Looks just the same to me ...

   have been told it's a completely different animal ... maybe just marketing .... but I'm not gonna find out. My local HD's and Lowes even sell it in the tile aisles ...

   but I can only find the self stick at the tile store.

    

   "I'm gonna be doing a shower that is dropped, or stepped down from the main bath floor. Ever see a detail drawing of this feature?"

   I've actually torn out ... three, I believe ... of what sounds similar. All had different step down heights ... one looked way dangerous .... all the customers were doing complete reno's thru the design/build firm I sub'ed for ... so massive changes were happening anyways ... but all the customers said they didn't like the stepping down .... hard to remember first thing in the morning .... one guy I do remember saying he jambed his knee right after moving into the house .... that's what brought out the check book and started the madness ...

   somewhere along the lines I've showered in a step down .... I remember thinking it didn't bother me at all ...

    

   Jeff  Buck Construction 

      Artistry in Carpentry

           Pgh, PA