Durrock or other for shower?

[Richard]

Working on a full bath.

Wife & I been doing the drywall & floor. Shower stall is untouched (bare studs, plywood floor but the light and water are done)

From putting the floor down, I have three pieces of Durrock left over which I fully intended to be used in the shower (needing to buy more to do the whole thing)

Wife says take it back... "the other systems are better, my friend told me they don't use Durrock anymore"

I asked "Better for WHO?" Better for the installer who can get in/out quicker? Better product for the home owner?


I can easily take it back to get my funds back so she asked me to ask the experts.

You have a barren shower. You can install anything you want into YOUR shower. Do you use Durrock or another product as your base and why?

(Is Durrock the best thing to use or is there another....and why)

Edited to add: I should have said... because of leakage, we plan to hire out the shower finishing. Though we could probably do it ourselves, I'd rather let someone with more experience do it.

 

[tbrooks26]

For an easy diy, look into a schluter products. I like it because it cuts time off of the overall project. Usually I go to my local tile/flooring store and by what I need individually. The shower kits come with a fabric waterproofing that is kind of a pain to put on, if your not used to it. They make their own backer as well. Its like foam board with the waterproofing on it. They are expensive, but I like the time it saves me. But yes, lots of people/pros still use durrock as well.

 

[747driver]

Durrock is fine as long as it is installed right.

I would use this system as mentioned in above post.

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[jimmysisson]

If you have room, I favor installing 5/8" cdx plywood or Advantech behind the tile backer. That way you can put accessories anywhere.
If you're hiring out the tile, ask the tile guy what he prefers as a backer
Jim

 

[RippySkippy]

Schluter is THE way to go with a mud pack base, easy wonderful system. Not cheap, but once and done.

 

[Richard]

Thanks for the replys.

Never heard of the Schluter system. Will be interesting to read up on them.

I put the Durrock in the basement shower, turned out ok (so far HA!)

Wife wanted to put (what I think is called) Hardiboard behind it. I kind of felt if it wasn't outright the wrong material, it would still not offer the strength of Durrock.

Will get to reading.

I don't mind so much if the project takes a day or a month. This bathroom took a 4 year pause while we did some other things so, now that the electric is done, plumbing is done, tile (floor) is almost done, I don't care if it takes 3 days or 3 months.

Most of the climb is now behind us. (but for the shower)

 

[tbrooks26]

I despise hardi-backer for tile work. Not that its a bad product, but I just find it harder to work with. I'm not an everyday tile-guy, but I seem to have done 1 or 2 showers a year for about the past 10 years. I've been using schluter for the past 4 or 5 and have been happy with it all around. As said above, it should really be up to whoever is laying the tile. Tile is really not that hard if you rent yourself a wet saw, and make sure you keep things level. That does depend on the size of the shower though, bigger is easier. I had to do a 30"x40" one time, with 4 walls and a doorway, and it took me longer than any shower I have ever done.

 

[Tomtint]

We have done numerous large showers with Durarock.... Never a problem. It's a bit tougher to work with at first, but I'm certain it will be there for 50 years with out issues. I have not used the other material that was mentioned.

 

[JimRB]

For me, the big thing is getting the pan installed properly. If the pan is horizontal/flat, it is not installed properly. The pan is supposed to be installed with a slope so the water drains, not pools. Water always gets passed through grout lines. If you do not slope the liner/pan, that water pools Also you should not put the Durock to the pan. I hold it up an inch or so. When I mud the pan, the mud covers an inch or so of the Durock. The goal is to not have the Durock sitting where it is wicking water up. Again, having a proper slope to the pan helps with that issue. I have sloped wtih mud and with plywood shimmed at the perimeter to amke a slope to the drain. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRwu1SE_***

 

[dadster4]

Are you installing a manufactured shower base or forming up the base yourself?

 

[bjr]

I'm a DIYer and I've only done one shower stall. The poster that mentions the slope, I feel, is correct. I had a "L" shape walkin shower floor to do and I wound up using the "Dry Pack" mud (I died of sticker shock from the preslope foam packages) and a custom built slope. Then the rubber liner, tested by filling with water and letting it set, then another layer of "Dry Pack" mud then the tile. Kind of a pain to get the slopes right before the mud sets up. You need a good finish on the slopes to get the tile to set properly (I used the 2" squares). If you desire you can slope down from finish floor level (drain has to be set at a lower level) so you wouldn't need a raised sill to step over, just something to consider. bjr23

 

[GPintheMitten]

The entire shower needs to be water proof. Tile with grout is not water proof, neither is Durock. So regardless of what you use, it has to be made water proof before you tile.

I used the Shlater system including the foam base. It included the drain which also handles any water that gets under the tile. For the walls, I put in 2x6 blocking in places for any future Han holds and documented where I put them. I built a corner seat. Used drywall for the walls.

Then applied shluter fabric (like wallpaper but water proof). I don't remember what product is used to adhere it. Works great. I'm a believer. Then I tiled the floor with 2 in squares. I added something to the grout when mixing it that seals it. My bill also used the shluter stuff on 2 showers several years ago. No problems.

My sil hired a friend who is a professional tiler. He created his own pan including the rubber and then more dry bed on top as mentioned above. He used Durock on the walls and coated the walls with a waterproof product, made specifically for tiling.

Either method will work. Just don't rely on tiling as your water barrier.