tile/wall intersection

[giddonah]

I'm sure we have this planned right, but my friend wants me to get someone to agree with us.

We're planning on tiling the floor up to the studs (or close enough), then install the sheetrock and bring it down to just above the tile (probably silicone that joint) and then put on the baseboard (with more silicone).

He wants to be sure you don't sheetrock to the subfloor first. I can't see how you might want to do that, but here I am posting the question anyway.

Oh yeah, this is a bathroom, which is why all the silicone.

[jproffer]

I think either way would be fine. When you add tile later on, you just run it up to the DW, not under it. But if you want to tile first then rock it, rock over tile is the way it would naturally work out. Sorry this isn't the full on agreement you were looking for Gid, but I do think it would be OK the way you suggest, or the opposite, either one.

[giddonah]

That's cool. Going the other way, he was worried about water running down the DW and being caught behind the tile and I was concerned with having to run the tile close enough to the DW that the baseboard would cover it.

I think this thread wasn't needed, but at least I can go back to him and say I posted and we're fine. Thanks.

[Dragon]

Tile before sheetrock?

Thats a new one.

So much for using sheetrock kickers.

I think you are getting your cart before your horse.

Tile is usually one of the last things to go in, not the first.

[jproffer]

I thought about the kickers, but it sounds like it's a small BR remodel. It could be done without kickers for that small a space, I doubt he's going for speed on 2 or 3 sheets.

[Rich]

I'm with Dragon - get your drywall done first. Less of a chance with cracking a tile while working. Think of dropping a piece of sheetrock, ladders, kickers, etc falling or putting pressure on freshly grouted tile. Why take the chance - normal sequence is drywall, wallcovering/paint, flooring, base. Throw the vanity in there too between paint and flooring.

[giddonah]

It is in fact a small remodel. Having the tile down first won't be such a big deal as far as working on it. I think we tiled the other bathroom before the walls were done. Whatever the order was, we covered the tile with heavy plastic to protect it. Is it really a big deal?

[Dragon]

Well, its kinda like painting the sheetrock before you hang it.

[Tom R]

Whether the job is big or small, - - IMO, - - it's best to get in the habit of doing things in the order that they will work for all jobs, - - and that order would be as Dragon and Rich say, - - drywall (and for that matter, - - paint also) first, - - why chance ruining tile or grout, - - which, even on a small job, - - tends to be labor intensive.

As far as the 'intersection', - - it doesn't really matter because the important thing is that the drywall is at least 1/2" above finished floor level, - - so water can never 'wick' up the wall.

I generally leave the drywall 1 1/4" above the floor, - - then install a 1" wide plywood ripping (1/2" plywood that is) as a nailer strip, - - then I have good nailing along the bottom of my base anywhere I want, - - whereas at the top of my base I have to hit the studs (which are premarked on the subfloor before drywall).

The lowest I'll screw into the drywall is about 16" off the floor, - - that way the lower end of your drywall is sort of 'floating', - - and when you install your base, - - you won't have any unsightly gaps, period.

Similar method at the wall/ceiling intersection, - - keep the screws away from the corners, - - you'll get a much straighter intersection and a lot less shrinkage/cracking later.


P.S. The 'nailer strip' should be minimum 1/4" off the finished floor, - - so it can't wick. I install this 'nailer strip' on old-work, - - say, - - in the cases of 'built-up flooring', - - or 'balloon' framing, - - where there's no sole plate as a backer.

P.P.S. Oops, - - just realized Rich already gave the whole 'proper sequence'.

P.P.P.S. I'd have liked to write P.S.S. but I know Giddonah is watching/lurking/waiting to 'pounce'!! :lol:

[Crash13]

TomR,

You talk about making a seperation between the bottom of the drywall and the flooring so that water can't wick up the drywall......I believe it is true that it can happen, but what do you do about tiling a shower? My situation is this:

I have a small shower with Durock already up on the walls. The concrete bottom hasn't been poured yet. The Durock on the walls was hung almost all the way to the subfloor, lower than the drain. I've been told I need to pull off the Durock and cut off a few inches such that the bottom the Durock is above the drain by at least a 1/2". My question is, what do you do in that sort of transition in a shower? Obviously out in the main space of a bathroom you'll have base moulding cover that void, but in a shower there will be no moulding. [/quote]

[giddonah]

I brought the durock down to within 1/8" or so and siliconed it. The surface is protected by the tile and the silicone keeps the water from getting underneath. You just do that with the walls because it's silly to silicone all the way around, and baseboard will just cover anyway. That's my theory.

[Tom R]

TomR,

You talk about making a seperation between the bottom of the drywall and the flooring so that water can't wick up the drywall......I believe it is true that it can happen, but what do you do about tiling a shower? My situation is this:

I have a small shower with Durock already up on the walls. The concrete bottom hasn't been poured yet. The Durock on the walls was hung almost all the way to the subfloor, lower than the drain. I've been told I need to pull off the Durock and cut off a few inches such that the bottom the Durock is above the drain by at least a 1/2". My question is, what do you do in that sort of transition in a shower? Obviously out in the main space of a bathroom you'll have base moulding cover that void, but in a shower there will be no moulding. [/quote]

Hmm, - - mud jobs sure aren't my specialty (or actually, not even in my bag of tricks), - - but it sounds like you 'should' still leave the gap, - - and I would think caulking it would be fine.

As far as hiding it, - - not sure if I understand your 'application', - - I take it you're getting tile floor and tiled walls, - - so any gap would be covered by the tile anyway.

Like I say though, - - definitely not my specialty.

Might be a question for 'Sweep'.

[Sweep]

OK, I can be a tile expert until a real one comes along.

I installed a tile shower floor once but only because the tile setter had an aneurism and it had to be completed for the big opening bash. He lived and no one noticed the poor workmanship.

In the shower, the only thing that must go in before the wall backer board is the waterproofing membrane so it can rise up behind the board. If the membrane is already in place perhaps the board can stay; it's all cement and mortar, right? But I would trim the bottom just because the screws holding the board would be above the membrane and that would leave a lot of loose backer board in the detail. I don't know why there would need to be a gap between the board and the tile base. Wouldn't you fill any gap with mortar before setting the tile?

I could be wrong. I always use the Tile Council of America's details and try to avoid answering this kind of question. I live to say "build it the way it was drawn."

I agree with the others; put the GWB up, then the floor tile. If water is going to be running down the GWB you should use tile on backer board because it's a wet area. Regular GWB won't stand up to repeated wetting and silicone, although very flexible, has poor adhesion to most materials (especially the cut edge of gypsum wallboard) and it has poor longevity if kept wet. If the GWB were moisture resistant with a fiberglass face (DensArmor, etc.) with an uncut wrapped edge, a polysulfide sealant might stop water penetration, but probably no more than the sealant at the top & bottom of the baseboard.

[Tom R]

Thanks Sweep.