Install new backing for shower walls if the old ones begin to sag or crumble.
Cement backer boards are a type of sheetrock installed into walls with heavy water contact, such as shower stalls. This type of sheetrock is used because of its water resistance and durability. Once water has seeped into the surface of walls, regular drywall is vulnerable to crumbling and will no longer be able to support the weight of ceramic tiles. If there is any evidence of damage in the walls, it is best to make repairs quickly before the damage has a chance to spread; otherwise, a larger section of the wall will need to be replaced.
Instructions
1. Remove the tiles from the wall by prying them loose with a flat chisel. Do not pry from the corners as it will cause the tiles to break.
2. Trim off excess drywall hanging from the wall with a drywall saw. Make straight, neat cuts.
3. Scrape off any residual caulking from the shower or bathtub's base with a sharp razor knife.
4. Scrape off a thin layer of grout from the surrounding tiles with a grout saw.
5. Soak the old tiles in boiling water and scrape off the old mastic on the back of the tiles with a wide putty knife. If the tiles are cracked or broken, replace them entirely.
6. Measure the missing section of the wall. Mark the measurements on a cement backer board and score it with a utility knife. Keep running the knife through the backer board until it breaks off.
7. Install the backer board into the wall by hammering it in with roofing nails into the wall studs. Lift the backer board a little above the base of the shower or bathtub if installing near the floor.
8. Apply latex mastic over the backer board with a 1/8-inch, notched trowel. Spread evenly.
9. Press the tiles onto the backer board, lining the grout joints with the existing joints.
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