Whipple, I've read many of your helpful posts here and studied your website, especially about barrier-free showers which we will build in phase 2 of our new home. We're building "long distance," which has been pretty much a nightmare but necessary due to my husband's disability rehab. Right now we are 500 miles from the jobsite and I have no pictures. The shower is 42 x 48 and currently has just the concrete slab for a floor with the center drain open. The shower area is fully enclosed to the 9-foot ceiling, with a 32-inch opening for the door. It has Hardibacker installed on all the wall and ceiling areas, including the curb. This was done in anticipation of installing the polystone shower, but when the guy came to do the final measuring the price went up by $1,500 and we said, "Sorry, no." After the debacle with the polystone I looked at ceramic tile at the big box stores, then went to Artesano, a local Mexican tile store in Santa Fe. They were having a 50% off sale on everything that weekend. We decided to do the shower and vanity in 4-inch Mexican tiles, the quality sold by this store is as good as it gets for that type of tile. I spent many hours on the computer designing the shower and did drawings of each wall, etc. so I would know how much tile to buy. We need to save money, but I want a quality job and total waterproofing. The exterior of the house is adobe (handmade less than a mile from our property, can't get any greener than that and we paid 80 cents per brick - unbelieveable). One of the shower walls is on the exterior side. That wall is thoroughy insulated, framed, has the same Hardibacker, and will be further insulated when the house is stuccoed. I could get a pro from Santa Fe or Albuquerque to do the prep work and waterproofing, the cost might not be more than what we would pay for materials. But we are 45 miles from Santa Fe and the trip charges would be exhorbitant. I'm sure DH and I can do the prep work, we are methodical and read directions carefully. Neither of us has done tile work before. What we need is guidance on steps 1-10 (or whatever it takes) to get the shower and vanity ready for the local guys to actually set the tile. I've been looking at the websites for Pro-Va, Kerdi, and HydroBan. I've read several tile forums. What I haven't done yet is buy a book on DIY tile. Since I don't have a photo I'm not sure what else I can say about the scope of the work. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

"My contractor used mastic everywhere he installed new tile for me--kitchen floor, foyer, etc. Is it okay in these areas since they aren't generally wet, or is this still a no no? " Laila, it depends. On your substrate and the size of the tile used. Substrate: Some manufacturers restrict the type of material that you can spread mastic on. Example, many prohibit OSB and chip board types of subfloors or underlayments. Tile size: Mastic cures by drying, so it needs exposure to a certain amount of free air. Some restrict the size of the tile you can install on floors and walls. Floors size is usually more restrictive due to the weight of walking on the tile. If the mastic can't see enough air the mastic can remain soft. One mastic I've used has I a maximum of 6" square tiles on floors and 10" square on walls. Another manufacturer restricts tile to 12". Some prohibit setting natural stone tile on floors with mastic. So within the entire family of mastics, each manufacturer may have their own limitations due to how they formulate their specific products.

Uh oh, Bill, that doesn't sound good. I'm still on my quest. I had Avalon out today and got still different info yet. He told me I can't use a Kerdi pan because of my shower size, about 32 x 48. I was reading that it could be cut, but I have a question going on JB forum, and they are recommending a mud pan. But I think that's what tile guy #1 said would cost me over $1200 extra! And tile guy #2, who was just a measurer said that the Kerdi walls would be unneccessary without the pan, and that some hydraflex on the cement board would be fine. I'm thoroughly confused, but I really want at least the Kerdi walls. I've even googled and can't seem to find Kerdi guys in NJ.

I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. Do you mean he should have used a vapor barrier behind the Fiberock? yes. Is this in a code somewhere? It is hard to find the codes on-line without paying for them. yes. As well as in the TCNA Handbook, it will also be found in the ANSI standards (American National Standards Institute-- the book that governs ALL phases of building). It'll be found somewhere either in ANSI 108 or ANSI 118, not sure which one, but if you can't find someone local to look it up for you, I'll dig and find the exact spec. And since he didn't use a vapor barrier, is the only solution now to apply the liquid waterproofing? Either that, or take the fiberrock back down and put up the vapor barrier. Oh, and does UPC 417.4.1 not apply? Not sure what 417.4.1 is. As for Bill's link to Noble Company and preslope codes, that's 412.8 in the UPC code.