I understand that there are many people out there that float showers and that it is a very good way to doing prep-work. However, if you are doing a stud through finish installation, don’t you have to install drywall behind the mud and wire mesh as a backer? Doesn’t the cost of having a drywall person come increase the cost of the shower significantly? Or can you float a shower without drywall behind it?
Yes, floating requires more work and I recommend it but no drywall should ever be applied behind it. Wire mesh will be applied to the studs
Yes, it requires a lot more time, material and work. This process has many stages; installing the waterproof paper, then the wire mesh, then the scratch coat, then the brown coat and then gluing the tile on .
Yes, floating a shower costs more than backer-board. The materials are cheap, but the labor is more. On a side note, Drywall should never be installed behind shower walls. Picture it as if stucco was being applied to the exterior walls of your home. There are other alternatives to floating a shower, but some are a few years into the industry and most contractors can only guarantee what they know will stand the test of water vs test of time. Standard options are hot mop shower pan and felt, mesh, scratch and brown walls behind crack resistant thinset to glue on tile. Next is HardieBacker Cement Board, fiber mesh and waterproofing membrane, and the crack resistant tile adhesive. Keep in mind tile and grout alone are not what prevent water from seeping through the corners or through the edges of the shower drain. Also, consider a professional tile installer as there is a proper way to apply thinset, you will commonly notice an incorrect way to apply thinset which only consists of scattering small blotches of material vs fully covering the tile with the appropriate trowel pertinent to the size of tile being installed.
Yes, It is much more labor intensive but will provide a better outcome for uneven surfaces.
Hello All,
Great replies and follow up, you all gave a lot of helpful information. I’m going to take this question in another direction. Instead of having to Hot Mop, or Float Walls etc, At Frerichs Construction We are a big fans of the Schluter System. It has a variety of options, Lifetime Warranty with correct installation of coarse and is a big time saver which offsets the cost. It is a bit costly up front; however once you or your team get used to the installation process I believe that you will find out what a great product this is. On those bigger tiles and those long days you can keep tiling instead of having to stop 1/3rd of the way. Always make sure your corners are square and We also recommend the solid spacers and levelers to help make you finished product beautiful. Just a few thoughts on the topic, if anyone has any more questions, please feel free to reach out.
Thank You,
Gene Frerichs