The wall behind your bath tub can be covered in tile, fiberglass or other materials, but what should be behind it is cement board. This material looks like drywall, but is completely waterproof. If your old plaster wall around the bathtub is water-damaged and crumbling, don't try to work with it. A better solution is to rip out the old walls and replace them.
Instructions
1. Remove all existing wall material with a hammer and prybar, so the wall is bare studs. Make sure there are no protruding nail heads.
2. Measure the width of one wall behind the tub, from one end to the middle of the furthest stud that's within 5 feet of the end. Measure the positions of any plumbing fixtures as well.
3. Mark out the measurements on a sheet of cement board, drawing the lines with a pencil and level. Cut the board to size with a jig saw, making the cut on the edge that will face the corner, so the manufactured edge will sit at the middle of the stud. Make cuts as needed for the plumbing fixtures.
4. Set the board up onto the wall. Secure it with screws, driven every 6 or 8 inches along each of the studs behind the board.
5. Repeat for each piece of cement board necessary to cover the wall, and the adjacent walls. Arrange the boards so the seams are staggered between different studs.
6. Lay mesh adhesive drywall tape over each of the seams between the boards. Cover the tape in thinset mortar, using a drywall knife to spread it on flat and smooth. Let the mortar set for 24 hours. The wall is now ready for the installation of tile or a fiberglass tub surround.
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