Green board’s definitely better than regular drywall for bathroom walls, but I’ll admit, it’s not a magic bullet. I’ve seen “just drywall” jobs hold up fine in powder rooms, but in full baths? Not worth the risk. Moisture finds its way in, especially if you’ve got kids or anyone who loves long showers. That lingering steam you mentioned—yeah, that’s where the trouble starts.
Membrane over green board sounds good in theory, but yeah, one tiny missed spot and you’re in mold city.
Couldn’t agree more. I’ve seen folks get a little too confident with membranes and skip proper taping or sealing. One pinhole and you’re back to square one.
About those foam boards—tried them on a couple of higher-end jobs. They’re lighter (your back will thank you), and they cut down install time. But the price tag is real, and if you’re not careful with seams, water still finds a way. Curious if anyone’s had issues with tile adhesion on foam? That’s my only hesitation—sometimes feels like overkill unless you’re doing a steam shower or something fancy.
Not totally sold on green board being the “go-to” for every bathroom, honestly. Here’s my take:
- In a powder room? Sure, green board is fine, but regular drywall with decent paint holds up just as well if you don’t have a shower or tub.
- Full bath? I’d rather just go cement board and be done with it. It’s heavier, yeah, but you don’t have to stress about moisture sneaking in at the seams or behind tiles. The stuff’s basically bulletproof if you install it right.
- Membranes are great in theory, but like you said, one missed spot and you’re asking for trouble. I’ve seen more than one “waterproofed” wall turn into a science experiment after a couple years.
- Foam boards—tried them once. Super light, but I had some issues getting tile to stick as solid as I wanted. Maybe user error, maybe just not my thing.
Honestly, I’d rather spend a little extra time upfront with cement board than gamble on green board plus membrane. Less to worry about down the road if something leaks or shifts.
I get where you’re coming from—cement board does feel like the “set it and forget it” option, especially for a full bath. I did my own bathroom reno last year and went back and forth on this exact thing. Ended up using green board in the non-shower areas just to save a few bucks, but I kept thinking about what you said:
That’s always in the back of my mind.“Less to worry about down the road if something leaks or shifts.”
Funny enough, my neighbor swears by membranes, but he’s also the type who checks his caulking every six months. I’m more of a “fix it when it breaks” type, which probably isn’t ideal for bathrooms...
Curious if anyone’s actually had green board fail in a powder room or if that’s just overkill? I mean, is it really worth spending extra there, or am I just being too cautious?
Had the same debate when I did my guest bath last year. I used green board in the powder room and honestly, it’s held up fine—no issues at all. That said, I’m with your neighbor on membranes for full baths. In a powder room, unless you’ve got wild humidity swings or kids turning it into a splash zone, green board isn’t overkill. Like you said,
—for a half bath? Probably not, unless you’re just super cautious or want to future-proof everything.“is it really worth spending extra there”
Ever run into issues with green board around sinks, though? I’ve seen a couple powder rooms where the area behind the faucet gets a little soggy over time, especially if folks are splashy hand washers. I get that it’s not the same as a shower wall, but sometimes those little spots end up being trouble down the line.
Curious if anyone’s actually had to repair or replace green board in a half bath because of water damage, or is it mostly just theoretical? I always wonder if we’re overthinking it for spaces that barely see any moisture, but then again, I’ve seen some wild stuff after years of neglect... Maybe it comes down to how much abuse you expect the room to take?
