Kerdi Sheet Over Drywall

Thinset the tile on and caulk the edge.

Kerdi sheet over drywall. So is kerdi safe to use on drywall. For complete instructions refer to the schluter website. Schluter has ben using kerdi over drywall for decades and since the certification doesn t last forever has been getting it retested to reverify it still works to stay in compliance bi annually. Kerdi is ideal for use in tiled showers bathtub surrounds residential steam showers and other tile applications in wet areas.

Remove drywall and proceed as you ve outlined. If kerdi over regular drywall is acceptable is it preferable to waterproof drywall alone for the rest of the bathroom. Kerdi band would be fine but cement board mesh tape would be ok. Schluter kerdi is a pliable sheet applied waterproofing membrane and vapor retarder designed for the direct application of tile.

It s not a wet location. If you must tape the joints per fire code requirements make sure to apply a latex primer over the taped joints before installing kerdi. At the ceiling i d tape with mesh with thinset on the kerdi side and hot mud on the ceiling. The icc international code council test report esr 2467 covers the certification for both ditra and kerdi and is only valid if you follow the manufacturer s installation instructions.

It is not necessary to tape the joints between drywall panels before installing kerdi. The advantage i see is that the membrane is continuous around corners unlike hardie backer or densshield. In fact it s advised to use this product on drywall in your bathroom before laying tile and other materials. Without a waterproof membrane like kerdi water and moisture can seep through grout tile and other materials and end up damaging wood studs and subfloor.

Joint compound can be water soluble and should be protected from the moisture in the thin set mortar used to install kerdi. Scrape the sheetrock to get a key and use whatever you want to tape the transition at the wall. It would be faster and easier than the way the contractor wants to do it and probably the most logical step forward. This video shows a schluter shower installation using drywall purple board and schluter s wide roll kerdi membrane which allows the walls to be waterproof.

Here are a few tips on installing kerdi. Pay special attention to the consistency of the thinset. Go over the drywall with kerdi.