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Kitchen Backsplash: Use 1/4" cement board?

panzerfreak_ipc

9 years ago

Hi everyone,

My wife and I are currently having our kitchen remodeled and the project is about 75% complete. My contractor still needs to install our mosaic tile back splash (the ones that are on sheets) but I have a couple concerns before they do. Where the new back splash is going there is drywall that had old tile removed from it. Now that the old tile is removed a good amount of the drywall is down to the paper and some old grout / thin set still needs to be scrapped off of it in spots.

Would you guys suggest just applying a primer to the entire area for the grout / thin set to have a good bond or use 1/4" cement board across the entire area where the tile is going? I'm leaning towards asking them to install 1/4" cement board just to avoid any potential moisture issues due to the drywall being down to the paper in some areas and to provide a more flat / level bonding area.

What would you suggest?

Thank you!

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Comments (5)

jpell123
9 years ago
I'd scrape off the rest of the old grout/thinset, slap on a layer of Zinsser Gardz and start tiling. It looks about the same as ours when we removed our old tile backsplash and I didn't have any adhesion problems after prepping it with Gardz.
panzerfreak_ipc
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you for the tip! I'm going to do exactly that.
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PRO
Cabot & Rowe
9 years ago
Zinsser Gardz is excellent. After scraping off the old thinset, apply the gardz then smooth the wall like ordinary drywall before tiling.
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Sherry Young
3 years ago
Hi everybody, I have a similar issue, but slightly different. The people that owned the house before us refaced the kitchen cabinets with RTF. They then also covered the sheet rock between the cabinets with the RTF and then installed the quartz countertops and backsplash over the RTF. I really want the RTF gone and we want to install glass tiles. Judging by the condition of the remaining sheet rock in the kitchen (there were several layers of wallpaper that they painted over between the wallpaper sandwich) I am certain whatever sheet rock remains behind the RTF, is in horrendous condition or will be by the time I cut and pry the RTF off which I am sure was affixed to the wall with construction adhesive. I came to this post because I was considering putting 1/4" cement board over the RTF and then tiling. The area is only about 1' high by 10' long. My other option is to sand the RTF and use Zinsser Gardz and then tile. The glass tile is small and lightweight and comes on sheets.
User
3 years ago
Just remove the drywall and all the layers. And put up new drywall.
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