I built from scratch(and I mean from scratch) a shower stall in my basement powder room after I roughed in a shower drain since it didn't have a shower before. This was 10 years ago or so, and the way I did my tile job was I put up my vapor barrier, then 1/2" hardibacker. I mudded with thinset the seams of the hardibacker and taped them with fiberglass mesh tape. After that I installed my tiles with thinset and a trowel. I haven't done a tile job since then and to brush up, I've been watching some youtube videos. I'm seeing people using some sort of green board, like sheet work. I've also seen some type of material that has squares all over it, almost like how hardibacker looks, but this stuff is green and thinner.

What is the current go-to in terms of materials for tiling a shower wall? I'm now finally getting around to replacing my upstairs bathroom and part of that project involves a new tub and a nice new tiled wall. I can do it the way I did it before, but I was wondering if the procedure has become more streamlined through the use of newer materials.

Thanks!

 

The ultimate systems today are Ditra and Prova membranes, do a little googling! Ditra even has foam panels now, you can eliminate the need for cement boards!

That is what I have, it's bullet proof!

 

I'd never use green board [moisture resistant sheetrock] under the tile in a shower surround!

 

Not sure how to quote people on this board like @marksr did.

@marksr - this is what I was thinking. Just seemed like a bad idea.
@Marq1 - excellent - this is sort of what I was looking for. I've got some homework to do on those systems now. Thanks!

 

To quote you copy and paste, then highlight it and click on the ,, button. On some browsers it might be a square yellow box with lines in it.