In the 50 s it was common to install tile on regular sheetrock in bath shower areas.
Tile over sheetrock in bathroom.
Even in the best of scenarios the tile and grout will eventually wear down leaving behind a clear route for water to seep through and soak into the drywall.
Start by removing any molding switch plates outlet covers and other hardware attached to the area being tiled.
Purchase the joint compound putty knife primer adhesive and other materials needed to.
Step 4 place tile adhesive on the sheetrock.
If the paper is green it s greenboard and you shouldn t tile over it.
Measure the width of the wall and divide the number by two to find the center.
Compare this to the common practice of tiling over drywall and you get the idea that you have a totally different shower by using a product that is meant to function in the shower.
Previously painted textured drywall prep.
Step 1 obtain materials from home improvement center.
Use a utility knife to remove a little 1 2 square section of paint paper from the face of the drywall.
You may tile over existing tile painted or unpainted drywall plaster and textured walls.
If it s just white or grey tile away to your heart s content.
Scrape away any loose or peeling paint or wallpaper.
Step 3 apply primer to the sheetrock.
Continue sanding the area until the paint is no longer shiny.
How to tile over painted drywall.
Peel back the paper and look at it carefully.
Step 2 fill holes.
Water resistant sheetrock is usually blue or green in color and is called blueboard or greenboard.
While it might sound like a good idea to install backer board over drywall before tiling the shower the reality is that the drywall should be removed beforehand in most instances.
With tile showers in particular you can have a lifetime guarantee as long as you follow the proper installation methods.
Remove any remaining dust oil or grease with tsp tri sodium phosphate or an ammonia based cleanser.
If you re not sure if you have lead paint test kits are available.
Sand the wall with 80 to 120 grit sandpaper on an orbital sander s pad.
However tiling over tile can add quite a bit of thickness so make sure your wall can handle the weight.
Regular drywall can be used as a base for tiles in a shower but only as an absolute last resort.
How to tile over sheetrock.
The wedi board wedi shower system includes special bonding agents referred to as wedi caulk though is much more than caulk that waterproofs the seams in the corners as well as the joints where the 3 5 board pieces join together.
Tile will hold up fine on the blue board green board in areas that are not wet.
I saw many jobs that lasted 20 30 years before the sheetrock failed in wet areas but in dry areas it last longer than wet areas and is less expensive to install.
You should not tile over wallpaper glossy surfaces lead paint or plywood.
Step 5 grout.