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Have just ripped out ensuite and about to embark on DIY refit.
Have spent much time considering what to line the walls around shower area with before tiling (Knauf Aquapanel, Hardie backer board, Versipanel etc). Am considering 12.5mm Marmox board - it seems straight forward (screw to studwork, silicon joins, tape seams then tile with flexi adhesive?) However have read a few forum posts that suggest tanking!?!?! surely the whole point of buying a fully waterproof board is that you dont tank? Confused any advise/suggestions?

Tile backer boards are normally expensive.

It depends what the weight is of the tiles that you are using, There is a guide to approximate tile weights here-

wall tiling

I recently tiled my bathroom and I used moisture resistant plasterboard, then tanked it.

Might as well just use normal plasterboards if tanking. MR plasterboards are for areas of high humidity and this makes them suitable for the ceiling or walls which may be receiving a painted finish......half tile/half paint.

Gypsum based plasters are not suitable for areas of high humidity, hence why MR plasterboards are taper edged and not (apart from 1 size of board) square edged.

It doesn't matter if you use normal plasterboard or top of the price range backer boards, if there is a problem and tiles need to be taken off, the backer board or plasterboard is going to be knackered by ripping off the tiles and will need replacing.

I have yet to do a repair to shoddy workmanship on top price backing boards and manage to save the board well enough to tile back onto.

Good workmanship is always worth more than materials used. Hence why we rip out bathrooms done 20 years ago with normal plasterboards and also sections done in ply and discover that under the tiles it is all as fresh as the day it was put up. Shoddy workmanship on the other hand leads to problems whatever is under the tiles and will ruin it.

Hi guys,
I work for James Hardie Building Products who manufacture HardieBacker – Tile Backer Board!

I’ve just looked over the previous posts and thought I would give you some features on how HardieBacker can help you in this application….

As royaloakcarpentry states it is not a recommended to install plasterboards in areas of high moisture and water as they simply breakdown over time causing you all sorts of problems with mould and costly repairs.
HardieBacker is fully water resistant which means it can be installed directly over a stud frame or direct to the masonry wall without the need to tank the board to protect it.

This then of course allows you to tile straight to the board as soon as it’s installed. If you use a plasterboard and tanking kit….

1 – You will have to wait 24-48 for the tanking to dry before you are able to tile.
2 – The cost of MR plasterboard and tanking will cost more than using HardieBacker per sqm.

On top of this HardieBacker can hold 100kg of tile per sqm, where plasterboard can hold only 25kg sqm!

If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

P.S HardieBacker is also available in 6mm thickness ideal for tilling over your wooden floor projects.

Hardie Guy.

Hardie.Guy......................Read my post properly, please. If you are going to 'para quote' what I have said then please do it in the same context as I originally wrote and not as a complete reverse meaning.

Plasterboards only break down over time as a result of poor workmanship. We replace plenty of shower rooms which are 20 years old and the workmanship having originally been first class has meant the plasterboards are immaculate underneath the tiles.

We have also had to do remedial works to jobs finished a year to 18months ago with backer boards but crap Polish workmanship and end up having to rip the whole lot out because pulling the tiling off damages the backer boards beyond reasonable re-use.

You are incorrect about having to wait for 24-48hrs after tanking before you can tile. The Impey system can be tiled straight away.

After all, tile adhesive is waterproof, grout is waterproof, and tiles are waterproof. & if installed correctly normal plasterboard stays as good as new underneath.
Well said roc.

martyn1967 wrote:After all, tile adhesive is waterproof, grout is waterproof, and tiles are waterproof. & if installed correctly normal plasterboard stays as good as new underneath.
Well said roc.

Your having a laugh with....that statement........

Sorry Royaloak for offending you….
Your quote ‘’ Gypsum based plasters are not suitable for areas of high humidity’’
My point is that plasterboards are made from gypsum plaster and just like you said are ‘’not suitable for areas of high humidity’’

It’s for this exact reason why ‘tile backer boards’ are manufactured. Tiles are not waterproof so moisture and humidity will always get behind the tiles whether the workman ship is to a high standard or not.

MR plasterboards are made for high humidity.............Good for painted areas but no better behind tiles than normal plasterboard, was my point. My point about gypsum based plasters not being suitable for areas of high humidity (British Gypsum information) was that this renders plastering over normal plasterboard or MR plasterboard in an inadequately ventilated bathroom, pointless. That is, if the bathroom is plagued by a high humidity level. Some internal shower rooms are like being in the tropics and that is an hour after someone has had a shower.

If there is a problem then there is a problem and normally it doesn't show until there is sufficient damage to warrant tiles coming off and repairs being done. The tiles being taken off knackers plasterboard and also knackers hardi (type) backer boards. I have yet to do a repair and been able to maintain the integrity of a backer board enough to tile back onto. It has always necessitated cutting out damaged area complete and patching in. Same for plasterboard, same for aqua boards, often the same for ply.

For me the only advantage to backer board is the extra weight it can carry.

The only real advantages in integrity come when coupled with tanking and that applies to any substrate behind the tiles.

olobenn wrote:Have just ripped out ensuite and about to embark on DIY refit.
Have spent much time considering what to line the walls around shower area with before tiling (Knauf Aquapanel, Hardie backer board, Versipanel etc). Am considering 12.5mm Marmox board - it seems straight forward (screw to studwork, silicon joins, tape seams then tile with flexi adhesive?) However have read a few forum posts that suggest tanking!?!?! surely the whole point of buying a fully waterproof board is that you dont tank? Confused any advise/suggestions?

Hiya, I've just done my ensuite using hardie backer 500 12.5mm. I didn't tank as the advice on this site was that there was no need to and hardie advise it's not necessary either. I chose hardie backer for the whole of the ensuite as I wanted good moisture resistance coupled with the strength to hold natural stone tiles. the hardie backer was easy to fit, i followed all the instructions, wipe down the boards with a damp cloth before fitting, tile adhesive and tape the joints, then tiled straight onto the boards.
just grout and shower enclosure to go but so far so good.