Tile Bathtub Surround Backer Board

I often get questions on what sort of tile backer board to use for showers and tub surrounds.

Tile bathtub surround backer board.

Hanging cement board around a bathtub. Cement backer board comes in two standard thicknesses 1 2 inch and 1 4 inch. Some homeowners believe that painting or priming plywood will render it suitable to use as shower tub backer board. Plywood alone cannot be used as a substrate under tile in showers.

The best approach when installing cement board or other tile backer around a tub is to keep the cement board out of the lip area. The industry standard is to use 1 2 inch thick backer board on wall tile installations such as a tub surround. In part 2 i am showing step by step installation of tile backer board cement board around standard 60 tub in smaller bathroom. While it is not.

When it comes to installing a tile backer board the easiest to install is usually the worst choice or most expensive option. Apply it to the wall with the bottom edge about 1 4 in. Then apply a generous amount of thin set to the bottom bathtub tile and position it 1 8 in. But with many non organic shower backer boards available as alternatives there is little reason to use greenboard.

Wedi board tile backer board which shower tile backer board is best. This is not true.