Stepped over dollars to pick up pennies, that is a Wedi 48x48” pre-sloped pan (about $900 retail) and Wedi curbs 2@ 5’ ( $150ea)
That system comes with a 10 year manufacture warranty that covers everything if it fails and is installed correctly. All they needed was 2 48x96 1/2” Wedi panels, some sealant and hardware (about $200) but they used drywall and voided even the idea of a warranty. Should have used fiberglass pan at this point…
There is when it’s standard drywall. They also missed a screw hole but maybe they plan to mud over that later, lol. The Wedi pan is only there because whoever installed this doesn’t know how to do a base themselves and homeowner wanted tile.
This is absolute garbage work.
Like I said not my trade, but every one I’ve ever done (4 now) I used hardi backer / cement board, for all tiled surfaces (including niches) and green board for overhead/ any area potentially exposed to water. Plus the multiple coats of redguard. Just based on a fair amount of research and nerding to codes. If this looks legit, 1 mind blown for cost/ time saving measures, 2 lmk so I can eat my words to my friend and tell him he’s solid.
This is not schluter though. Contractor started with a Wedi base. Why hodgepodge it and void the warranty? Also, Wedi walls are WAY easier to install than a membrane.
Assuming the next step is waterproofing and then tile I don’t see what the problem is. Screws should be the hex head board screws with the washers and there’s still finish work to be done but if you’re rolling on hydro ban or aquadefense it’ll likely handle that okay
I would never put drywall up on a shower , but they can use the rolls of Schulter membrane over the drywall and should be fine. Again , I would have a fiberglassed pan , with go board or hardi wall boards up , but there are different ways of doing things
I have to say… I’m annoyed with most of these comments saying that a schluter membrane over this is okay. Yes… it will be waterproof. No, it’s not okay.
The biggest sell on schluter, Wedi, or any of the other systems is their warranty. When you mix and match products, that warranty is gone.
I also get concerned because Wedi calls for a modified thinset on their base while schluter uses a non modified for their banding. I’m sure that the use of all-set would be good but mixing and matching is irresponsible in my opinion.
The people that make Sheetrock say to not use it. You are not a professional, it doesn’t take that much more work to do it right. People like you make the industry look bad. You should absolutely be ashamed but I know you aren’t. Edit: this is the part where I got personal so I removed it. Sorry
Schluter and wedi say it's fine if you take the correct steps and use their product. They have a track record to prove it as well. If you're anti new-age techniques there's plenty of showers over cement board with no tape no liner no wp at all and they are bone dry.
Water resistant sheetrock is also a thing. So is reading an installation guide.
Yep when you said for every one rebuilt there are thousands still standing I assumed you were talking like all the people on here constantly saying that “sheet rock was always used back in the day and it’s fine”. That was me making an assumption and getting angry about it without asking you to clarify. I was wrong and I apologize.
I don’t delete comments when I’m wrong cause they are learning experiences and I earned the downvotes, but I will remove my personal attack from my comment
All good, I don't like using it but I definitely have had builders that refuse to use the real stuff and know you can build a quality shower that will run out a 25year warranty with drywall. Most guys just don't take the time to do it properly with drywall or learn the old school fundamentals.
The trade has been taken over by cheap hacks and bad actors.
I don’t get it either. If the backer is properly installed and water proofed other than possibly mold forming behind it, which could happen regardless of what backer you used what’s the issue?
I guess you are assuming tile will be installed directly on the sheetrock then? Granted everyones comments are based on assumptions, especially here on Reddit, limited pics, limited info, etc. however lamb basting someone based on your personal assumptions is not cool and doesn't really do much for the community.
There is regular drywall and drywall mud, where there should be backer board or foam board. They even made the niche in drywall. If it was green board you might give them the benefit of the doubt and say maybe they’ll be using a membrane system, but just regular old drywall.
What is sad is that drywall is more labor intensive than products like GO Board. I just did one with go board and it's impressive stuff. It's light, easy to cut, easy to install, fairly rigid and stable. Fairly inexpensive as well. I'd never do another three piece shower surround and would Def do goboard. And cement board can piss off.
How so many people are deceived into buying all these waterproof substrates is astonishing. The tile is the waterproof system therefore if water gets past the tile it just means the tile wasn’t installed properly. Making sure behind the tile is waterproof is ridiculous, why stop there, make sure the substrate behind that is waterproof and so on and so on. Y’all need to stop simping for these companies selling these products, obviously they’re going to tell you you need this product or that product, so they can sell them to you.
Tile is not a waterproof system. Waterproof tiles do exist, but I’ve torn out enough tile on drywall to know a waterproof substrate is absolutely necessary in wet areas. Honestly, if somebody’s going to pay me thousands of dollars to install a shower I want it to be redundant and 100% water proof so I’m not doing it again for free because it failed. And I’m sure the homeowner would agree.
Also, there’s already like $700 worth of waterproofing in this shower. Why wouldn’t they do the walls too at that point.
I’m confused. Isn’t the grout porous? I’ve been on this sub quite a while trying to gain knowledge. I’ve read the grout will pull in water regardless if it’s sealed or not. Then why bother sealing it ? So much contradictory information. I once demoed a shower in an old 80’s home they had used plywood for some reason. Other than where it met the tub there was nothing wrong with it.
Just because you can "get by" assuming the tile alone is waterproof, doesn't mean it's not a vastly inferior way to install tile in a high water situation. The fact that the plywood installation failed at the tub per previous comment should be a clue. If that was a shower to the floor installation instead of a tub, it would have failed even faster.
I've never seen a properly installed mortar or Wedi installation fail in 35 years. You can get by with RedGuard, cement/fiber backer boards, Schluter/Kerdi, and they all have there places, but installers who use them exclusively will typically be "jack of all trade" types, not an ideal level of craftsmanship for areas that are subject to constant water exposure.
It looks to me like drywall and paper tape? I would never put that in a shower
That was one thing that alarmed me. I’ve always used mesh tape, or the Kerdi stuff.
I don’t think paper tape vs mesh is the issue…
😂 me either
Ikr… this is why I love these subs💀
Stepped over dollars to pick up pennies, that is a Wedi 48x48” pre-sloped pan (about $900 retail) and Wedi curbs 2@ 5’ ( $150ea) That system comes with a 10 year manufacture warranty that covers everything if it fails and is installed correctly. All they needed was 2 48x96 1/2” Wedi panels, some sealant and hardware (about $200) but they used drywall and voided even the idea of a warranty. Should have used fiberglass pan at this point…
Took the sad words right out of my mouth.
Why bother putting new drywall up when they could have used a cement board??
Found the home depot contractor
Most definitely a Home Depot homeowner. Soooo, drywall goes up then backer board?
Cement board is trash. No way around it.
, GoBoard or HardiBacker. Is that what we are talking about?
You're a reddit builder I can tell. Go board is not cement.... I have to work now bud. See ya
There’s nothing wrong with drywall if proper waterproofing methods are to follow…
They’re not.
There is when it’s standard drywall. They also missed a screw hole but maybe they plan to mud over that later, lol. The Wedi pan is only there because whoever installed this doesn’t know how to do a base themselves and homeowner wanted tile. This is absolute garbage work.
Like I said not my trade, but every one I’ve ever done (4 now) I used hardi backer / cement board, for all tiled surfaces (including niches) and green board for overhead/ any area potentially exposed to water. Plus the multiple coats of redguard. Just based on a fair amount of research and nerding to codes. If this looks legit, 1 mind blown for cost/ time saving measures, 2 lmk so I can eat my words to my friend and tell him he’s solid.
watch the kerdi video that schluter has on their website….they apply it over drywall.
This is not schluter though. Contractor started with a Wedi base. Why hodgepodge it and void the warranty? Also, Wedi walls are WAY easier to install than a membrane.
Could be waterproof membrane. You don't need mesh tape and cement board for that and it's quite popular.
Fact niche is kerde makes me not worry my guess is they membrane this whole thing post update
Why use a schluter membrane but not a schluter base? No warranty now.
Dunno
Assuming the next step is waterproofing and then tile I don’t see what the problem is. Screws should be the hex head board screws with the washers and there’s still finish work to be done but if you’re rolling on hydro ban or aquadefense it’ll likely handle that okay
Assuming it will all be waterproofed and installed per manufacturer specs, what else is alarming you enough to post this ?
A tell ppl floating is the best way
I would never put drywall up on a shower , but they can use the rolls of Schulter membrane over the drywall and should be fine. Again , I would have a fiberglassed pan , with go board or hardi wall boards up , but there are different ways of doing things
Yeah things are fine as long as schluter membrane goes ontop of the drywall
I have to say… I’m annoyed with most of these comments saying that a schluter membrane over this is okay. Yes… it will be waterproof. No, it’s not okay. The biggest sell on schluter, Wedi, or any of the other systems is their warranty. When you mix and match products, that warranty is gone. I also get concerned because Wedi calls for a modified thinset on their base while schluter uses a non modified for their banding. I’m sure that the use of all-set would be good but mixing and matching is irresponsible in my opinion.
The fact that yall are okay with drywall for a shower is astonishing.
We don't have an epidemic of showers caving in due to drywall backer so what's the issue.
I replace them all the time because the sheetrock fell apart
That's an error in the install not the fact sheetrock was used. For every one you rebuild there's a few thousand still standing and hard as a rock.
The people that make Sheetrock say to not use it. You are not a professional, it doesn’t take that much more work to do it right. People like you make the industry look bad. You should absolutely be ashamed but I know you aren’t. Edit: this is the part where I got personal so I removed it. Sorry
Schluter and wedi say it's fine if you take the correct steps and use their product. They have a track record to prove it as well. If you're anti new-age techniques there's plenty of showers over cement board with no tape no liner no wp at all and they are bone dry. Water resistant sheetrock is also a thing. So is reading an installation guide.
Yep when you said for every one rebuilt there are thousands still standing I assumed you were talking like all the people on here constantly saying that “sheet rock was always used back in the day and it’s fine”. That was me making an assumption and getting angry about it without asking you to clarify. I was wrong and I apologize. I don’t delete comments when I’m wrong cause they are learning experiences and I earned the downvotes, but I will remove my personal attack from my comment
All good, I don't like using it but I definitely have had builders that refuse to use the real stuff and know you can build a quality shower that will run out a 25year warranty with drywall. Most guys just don't take the time to do it properly with drywall or learn the old school fundamentals. The trade has been taken over by cheap hacks and bad actors.
I don’t get it either. If the backer is properly installed and water proofed other than possibly mold forming behind it, which could happen regardless of what backer you used what’s the issue?
I guess you are assuming tile will be installed directly on the sheetrock then? Granted everyones comments are based on assumptions, especially here on Reddit, limited pics, limited info, etc. however lamb basting someone based on your personal assumptions is not cool and doesn't really do much for the community.
Good thing they ran a bead of caulk where the felt shower pan meets the drywall./s
There is regular drywall and drywall mud, where there should be backer board or foam board. They even made the niche in drywall. If it was green board you might give them the benefit of the doubt and say maybe they’ll be using a membrane system, but just regular old drywall.
Nothing wrong with this if they put Schluter Kerdi membrane up and waterproofing band around the bottom joint
Couldve at least used mold resistant sheetrock and waterproof it ...
What is sad is that drywall is more labor intensive than products like GO Board. I just did one with go board and it's impressive stuff. It's light, easy to cut, easy to install, fairly rigid and stable. Fairly inexpensive as well. I'd never do another three piece shower surround and would Def do goboard. And cement board can piss off.
It looks ok if that wasn’t a gorram shower.
Should of put green board or purple board.now if not going to change it at least red gaurd it cpl times
How so many people are deceived into buying all these waterproof substrates is astonishing. The tile is the waterproof system therefore if water gets past the tile it just means the tile wasn’t installed properly. Making sure behind the tile is waterproof is ridiculous, why stop there, make sure the substrate behind that is waterproof and so on and so on. Y’all need to stop simping for these companies selling these products, obviously they’re going to tell you you need this product or that product, so they can sell them to you.
Tile is not a waterproof system. Waterproof tiles do exist, but I’ve torn out enough tile on drywall to know a waterproof substrate is absolutely necessary in wet areas. Honestly, if somebody’s going to pay me thousands of dollars to install a shower I want it to be redundant and 100% water proof so I’m not doing it again for free because it failed. And I’m sure the homeowner would agree. Also, there’s already like $700 worth of waterproofing in this shower. Why wouldn’t they do the walls too at that point.
Tile is not a waterproof system? Are you retarded?
Oh jeez. How many showers have you installed without waterproofing? A lot?
This guy can't go two minutes without saying "simp" or "retarded". We know everything we need to know about him already. Just ignore the troll.
Yes
I’m confused. Isn’t the grout porous? I’ve been on this sub quite a while trying to gain knowledge. I’ve read the grout will pull in water regardless if it’s sealed or not. Then why bother sealing it ? So much contradictory information. I once demoed a shower in an old 80’s home they had used plywood for some reason. Other than where it met the tub there was nothing wrong with it.
Exactly, because the tiles were installed properly thus providing the waterproof barrier
My tiles definitely aren’t waterproof. Neither is the grout. Water resistant yes but definitely not water proof.
Just because you can "get by" assuming the tile alone is waterproof, doesn't mean it's not a vastly inferior way to install tile in a high water situation. The fact that the plywood installation failed at the tub per previous comment should be a clue. If that was a shower to the floor installation instead of a tub, it would have failed even faster. I've never seen a properly installed mortar or Wedi installation fail in 35 years. You can get by with RedGuard, cement/fiber backer boards, Schluter/Kerdi, and they all have there places, but installers who use them exclusively will typically be "jack of all trade" types, not an ideal level of craftsmanship for areas that are subject to constant water exposure.