How to Install Tile Board Around a Tub
- 1). Inspect the wall studs and replace any wood that shows signs of water damage.
- 2). Measure the area around the tub where you will be installing tile. Figure a 1/8-inch gap between each tile board panel and a 1/4-inch gap around the edges of the installation. Mark placement lines on the wall studs.
- 3). Cut the tile board to fit the area around the rub. Score the fiberglass layer on one side with a utility knife and snap the panel along the scored line. Cut through the other side's fiberglass layer to complete the break.
- 4). Attach the tile board panels to the wall studs at the marked placement lines with 1-1/2-inch galvanized deck screws every 6 inches. If an attachment point falls near the edge of a panel, drill pilot holes along that edge to prevent crumbling.
- 5). Cover the seams between the tile board panels with fiberglass-mesh wallboard tape.
- 6). Mix a small batch of thinset mortar. Fill the gaps under the tape with the mortar, leaving a thin layer on top of the tape. Allow the mortar to cure for two days before you begin installing tile.
