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tiling above fiberglass tub unit. and constructing walls to unit

remodeler_ezzie

16 years ago

Wow, what a helpful site. I'm putting travetine tile above/around the top of our fiberglass tub/shower surround unit. I've read in a tiling book from Home Depot that I should staple roofing/tar paper to the studs and adhere the paper to the fiberglass flange. I should screw duroc cement board into the studs...I should leave a 1/4" gap beween the top of the shower and base of the duroc...I should thinset the duroc joints/corners before setting the tiles...and when finished, grout between the tiles and chalk the 1/4" gap above the shower and below the tiles. Does this sound about right? Do you recommend sealing the travertine before setting it?

I've constructed a 'made-on-site' nich that I was going to treat in the same manner, but after reading some of the messages on the site, I'm wondering if I should use a more substantial impermeable membrane? The nich will not receive direct spray from the shower, but will handle the shampoo bottles etc. It does have a sloped base.

Big Question...how to bring the bathroom walls to the sides of the fiberglass shower/tub surround? I'm not going to tile, just paint. There's a 1" flange along the sides of the fiberglass tub/shower surround. Should I

....use duroc and lay it over the flange and plaster finish it?

......or green board?

......or wire mesh and stucco cement, which is what the bathroom walls are made of, and then plaster and paint? Would the wire mesh lap over/onto the fibergalss flange?

Do you just run a bead of chalk between the fiberglass and the finished wall?

I'll be tiling the bathroom floor with the travertine as well. Seal it before AND after setting it? They're 1 sq. foot tiles. Would you set them tight or with a gap that would be grouted?

Thanks for the guidance!

Ezzie

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Comments (6)

annec
16 years ago
Ezzie, I'm not trying to rain on your parade, but putting travertine next to fiberglass seems like hanging a crystal chandelier over a card table. Maybe you could remove the surround, replace the tub with a solid one ($$$), and tile the surround and floor? Then you'd have higher quality materials across the board.

I've got a heavy old porcelain coated tub and I ripped out the nasty fiberglass surround, put 3 or 4 ml plastic sheeting on the studs, cement board, and tiled it with porcelain wall tile. John Bridge has an outstanding tiling forum to answer all your questions.

I would either go all out for the great bathroom or save your money.
remodeler_ezzie
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the response Annec. The reason we're staying away from tile in direct contact with our water is because of its high silica content; new glass shower doors, tollets, sinks and tiles show the clouding/ring effects within a few weeks. Other than a pumice stone, I haven't found anything effective. That said, sounds like you'd recommend drywall finish above the surround.
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remodeler_ezzie
Original Author
16 years ago
I neglected to thank you, Annec, for directing me to the John Bridge TYW web site. Because of it, I'm off to calculate the flex in our ooold floor to figure if it's even suited to handle travertine/limestone tile.

Thanks again.
bill_vincent
16 years ago
ezzie-- one thing you might think about instead of the travertine would be a oporcelain lookalike. It would be just as nice looking, and you wouldn't have to worry about the silica abraiding the face of it, and then you COULD use it all the way down.
remodeler_ezzie
Original Author
16 years ago
Hi Bill, I'm not familiar with OPORCELAIN, so I Googled and ended up in dentistry and dinnerware! Any leads to help me locate the tub surround sites? I'd like to take a look. Our 'silica-film' issue is mainly cosmetic; I don't think it abraids surfaces, but it adheres so tightly that an abrasive, like a pumice stone or knife is all that I've found that will chip away at the film. I know families that, I think, are conscientious enough to actually use that squeegie after every shower, and their beautiful tiles are clouded; it's the same with the corian baths in town. Frustrating....maybe a water softener is the only solution.
bill_vincent
16 years ago
Sorry-- that was a typo! LMAO

As for the silica, I thought you were saying you had like a fine sand grit coming through. This is the first I've heard of something like this, and have no idea how to treat it.

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