Green board’s got a good PR team, but after reading this, I’m thinking it’s mostly hype. I mean,
—that’s hilarious and also kinda scary. I’m on my first bathroom redo and was leaning green board, but now? Might just wrestle with cement board and call it a workout. Moldy mush is not the vibe I’m going for.“those walls are basically held together by hope at this point.”
Green board in the news—worth the hype for bathrooms?
“those walls are basically held together by hope at this point.”
That line cracked me up, but yeah, you’re not wrong to be skeptical. Here’s my take after redoing a couple bathrooms:
- Green board is fine for *some* moisture, like on the upper half of a bathroom wall away from direct water.
- Anywhere near a shower or tub? Cement board wins every time. It’s heavier, sure, but unless you’re aiming for that “moldy mush” aesthetic (lol), it’s worth the muscle aches.
- Green board’s “moisture resistance” is mostly about humidity, not actual splashes or leaks. Learned that the hard way once—had to tear out a section after a minor leak turned it into oatmeal.
If you’re already dreading the workout, just remember: cement board now means less demo later. Plus, you get to feel like you bench-pressed your whole bathroom by the end. Worth it for peace of mind.
Green board’s “moisture resistance” is mostly about humidity, not actual splashes or leaks. Learned that the hard way once—had to tear out a section after a minor leak turned it into oatmeal.
Yep, been there. Green board *sounds* like a good idea until you see what a little water can do. I used it behind a vanity once, thinking it’d be fine since it wasn’t “direct splash zone.” Fast forward two years—tiny drip from the sink trap and suddenly the wall felt like wet cardboard. Never again.
Cement board is a pain to haul and cut, but honestly, I’d rather deal with sore arms than black mold or crumbling walls. For anything near water, it’s just not worth gambling on green board. If you’re only doing a half-bath with no shower, maybe it’s fine... but even then, I’m paranoid now.
Funny how “moisture resistant” doesn’t mean “waterproof.” Marketing strikes again.
I hear you on the cement board hassle—it’s heavy and messy, but I’d rather wrestle with that than deal with soggy drywall again. I once thought green board would be “good enough” for a laundry room wall. One leaky hose later, and it was toast. Lesson learned: if water might ever touch it, just go with the stuff that can actually handle it.
Green board always sounded like the easy fix, but in my old house, it just didn’t hold up where there was real moisture. I tried it behind a clawfoot tub once—looked fine for a year, then started to bubble. Cement board’s a pain, sure, but I’d rather patch plaster than tear out moldy drywall again. Sometimes the old ways really are better...
