I’ve installed a lot of tile floors and have always used wonderboard or something similar for and underlayment. I’ve recently done a few wetbed shower floors,so i’m learning the procedures for wetbeds.
I had a customer ask if a wetset floor was better than a floor set over wonderboard. I couldn’t give her a good answer because I always have done floors with wonderboard,it’s the way I was taught.
Wonderboard vs wetbed, is one better than the other?
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Replies
Depends whats under the CBU. dbl 1/2" ply is pretty damn sturdy with WB thinseted on top. Nothing really beats a mud job with wire lath tho. Yet even a mud job over a poor subfloor will crack.
well ...
since you've recently done a coupla wetbeds ...
what's your take?
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
The few i've done have been small shower floors,i'm not sure i'ready or willing to start wet setting whole rooms. I could probably get it done faster with wonderboard,but that's just me.
did ya wet-wet the shower floor after building a mud bed ...
or are you talking about building a mud bed ... letting it "dry" ...
then thinsetting down the tile?
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Yes,i built a mud bed and then put the tile down with thinset
that's not "wet set" as I use the term.
I call "wet set" jobs the ones the old timers did/do where over a full mud job floor they set the tiles deep into the fresh mortar and beat the tiles down into it.
my interpretation of the term may be wrong ... but that's how I've always know it to be used.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Jeff -
I'm with you. Couple or three inches (at least) of mortar, screed board, some tiles and a beating board.
That's a mud job. No thinset involved.
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
Thats what I have in a master shower...Its 50+ years old and the only thing wrong with it is its PINK!Sucker is perfect.
Guess whose gonna rip that sucker out and replace it...(only cause it's pink)...(and domestic tranqulity)
Bud
We just finished a rip out here on a 50 year old bath. Took my helper about three days. 6 by 13 bathroom 4 foot high on the walls 2 inches thick, and entire tub including ceiling. I wanted no part of it. Just dragging the garbage pails around was punishment enough.
I don't have the money, energy or the time to redo it that way. We'll just use Durock and thinset. Tub should be set tomorrow, last two new plumbing lines Friday. We will start tiling outside the shower area tomorrow with a little luck.
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
I did a 7/8" OSB subfloor over 11-7/8" I-joists with 2" flanges in our house. Laid 1/4" Wonderboard over that. Could park a truck on it. Whatever you set the tile on, it all comes back to the stiffness of the structure below it.
Bruce
Between the mountains and the desert ...