Cement Board Vs Drywall Shower

Then the cement board is installed on top of the plastic sheeting.

Cement board vs drywall shower.

Cement board is a mineral based product made of inorganic materials including cement water silica limestone flour and kevlar or fiberglass. It is meant to provide a much sturdier and stronger base where the stone and tile can be installed. Drywall panels fit between wall studs spaced 16 inches or 24 inches apart. Ideal for bathrooms basements kitchens laundry rooms and utility rooms.

When i redid my bathroom i used cement board in the shower and behind the sink. Unlike wood base materials such as plywood that contain wood such as drywall cement board does not have the organic material that would promote rot or decomposition. It was developed to replace lath and plaster construction. Cement backer board is a mineral based pre fabricated wall unit usually 1 4 inch or 1 2 inch thick and 3 feet by 5 feet long.

Cement board does a better job of resisting potential moisture in the area and is why most contractors prefer it over drywall. In high moisture shower areas such as shower enclosures use cement backer board. These are available in 4 8 foot and 3 5 foot sheets that are either 1 2 inch or 1 4 inch thick. Screws secure the cement board to the wall studs.

The smaller dimensions of cement board make the installation of it on large walls more difficult but cement board panels fit vertically in 3 foot wide showers or horizontally behind a standard 5 foot bathtub. This drywall features a special paperless backing and an additional coating to prevent mold and moisture. Essentially drywall is gypsum pressed between two sheets of paper. It is made of cement water silica limestone flour and fibers such as kevlar or fiberglass for increased strength.

Cement boards are made up of cement and glass fibers. In this highly convenient inexpensive and popular application a moisture barrier of 4 or 6 mil thick plastic is installed directly over the wall studs. The greenboard on the other hand is only meant for damp environments and would probably crumble if it got wet. This video transition between cement board and drywall joint or how to tap drywall and cement board joint or tapping cement board and sheetrock shows the tra.

Greenboards or blueboards on the other hand are types of drywall. I used greenboard for the rest of the walls. I then tiled over all of it.