Should I Use a Cement Board to Build a Shower?

Tried and True

• Cement based products have been proven to stand the test of time, with ancient structures dating back from the days of the Roman Empire still in existence today, many of them submerged in water. Once cement cures completely, it appears to be capable of withstanding an immeasurable amount of time in and around water, which makes it the perfect choice for a tile backer board, and one of the reasons it has been the industry standard for so long.

Physical Labor

• Cement board is usually the first choice when it comes to an underlayment for showers and wet areas, but it comes with a price above and beyond the cost in money. Cement board is very heavy and you need to be in decent physical shape to hang the board on the walls of the shower without hurting yourself. Two people are best, with one person holding the board in place while the other mounts it to the wall.

Lifetime Gaurantee

• Throughout the brands that warranty their cement board products you see warranties from 30 years and beyond, at the time of publication. Essentially, if you opt to use concrete board, you are choosing a product that has a lifetime warranty. Barring a natural disaster or a house fire that destroys the framing behind the concrete board, your shower will last throughout the years.

Alternatives

• Whether or not you should use concrete board is more about personal preference and budget than anything else. Evolution of technology has brought along a number of modern alternatives that appear to provide the same level of strength for tile installations but have an easier installation method. Waterproof drywalls and membrane systems are two examples of this, but even so they lack the hundreds of years of history that cement has behind it in terms of durability.