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Short Summary
Main recommendation: To remove a tile shower surround with minimal damage, cut through the silicone and the drywall paper so you are taking the assembly apart rather than tearing paper off the wall, then replace only the damaged drywall and tile up to the line where the new tile will start. The speaker notes that because the walls were built with drywall and glue rather than waterproof backing, water seeped in and caused mold, so the replacement needs a new vapor barrier and waterproofing carried past the tub.
Key Points
- Score and cut the silicone and the drywall paper at the joints instead of pulling paper off the surface, which would otherwise require repair.
- Avoid heavy demolition with a sledgehammer because broken ceramic or porcelain tile is dangerous and creates more cleanup.
- Remove the tile in a first row, then cut the wallboard and pull the remaining panel as one piece, keeping the ceiling intact.
- The original build used drywall throughout with glue residue and no waterproofing; the porous grout let water through to the drywall, causing mold.
- Replace the thin 1980s plastic vapor barrier with a new one and tie it in with Tuck Tape, bringing waterproofing past the tub.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions:
- Cut out all silicone and cut through to the drywall paper along the tile joints.
- Break a hole in the tile and cut the wallboard with a knife, then jiggle the panel: the drywall is attached only by screws or nails, so it will pull free and open like a door. Apply downward pressure to break the seal in the corner.
- After demolition, make a cut line where the old tile line was, then replace the new wallboard up to that point.
- Bring waterproofing material up past the tub to prevent future mold.
- Wear gloves that resist cuts, because tile shards can cut through skin deeply without being felt.
- The panel weighs approximately 60 to 70 pounds, and having two people carry it might be better unless you are confident you can carry it yourself.
- Where wood is behind the wall, use repeated shallow cuts rather than a drywall saw, and stop when you feel through.
- Ontario building code, as described by the speaker, used drywall throughout the shower without waterproofing.
- The back wall used water-resistant green board, which also molded; water resistant is not waterproof and mold resistant is not mold proof.
- Surface mold seen on the plastic vapor barrier indicated water damage; cleaning with bleach only treats the appearance.
- Metal corner bead on both sides of the corner should be left undisturbed to avoid extra mudding and painting work.
Bottom Line
Strip the tile and wallboard in sections without disturbing the ceiling or corner bead, then rebuild with proper waterproofing and a new vapor barrier so the moisture problem is addressed at its source.
