I’ve torn out a couple showers where green board was used behind a membrane—honestly, it didn’t hold up great. Even with the membrane, you could see spots where moisture crept in around fasteners and seams. I just don’t trust it for wet walls. Cement board’s heavier, but it’s worth the peace of mind.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually had decent luck with green board in bathrooms—just not in the shower itself. For regular bathroom walls, especially if you’re careful with sealing and caulking, it’s held up fine for me. Cement board is definitely my go-to for shower surrounds, though. That stuff’s a beast to cut, but you can’t beat the durability. Green board just feels a bit flimsy for direct water exposure, but for the rest of the room? I don’t mind it.
Green board’s kind of a mixed bag for me. I’ve used it outside the shower area, and as long as you’re diligent with your prep—good primer, solid caulking—it does the job. But yeah, for anything getting hit with water, cement board’s just safer. I once tried green board behind a vanity where a pipe leaked... let’s just say it didn’t hold up great. Lesson learned. For the rest of the bathroom, though, it’s usually fine if you’re not dealing with constant moisture.
Had a similar experience with green board near a laundry hookup—thought it’d be fine since it wasn’t technically a “wet” area. Fast forward a year, tiny leak I didn’t catch right away, and the bottom edge was mush.
That hits home. I’ve heard some folks swear by purple board now for those in-between spots. Anyone actually tried that, or is it just more marketing?“I once tried green board behind a vanity where a pipe leaked... let’s just say it didn’t hold up great.”
Tried purple board behind a utility sink—held up way better than green, especially when I had a slow drip from the faucet. It’s pricier, but honestly, after dealing with soggy green board, I’d rather pay a bit more up front. Marketing or not, it’s tougher stuff.
