Framing and wall covering for a Steam Shower?

The Realtor that I work for decided that he and his wife need a Steam Shower. I will start doing the tear out of their old shower this week.

I seem to remember, from about 30 years ago, that there is some special needs regarding the framing and the wall covering, behind the tile.

Has anyone had any experience in the building of a Steam Shower?
Is there any special framing requirements as far as materials? I don't believe that regular greenboard drywall is allowable behind the tile in a steam shower. Again, any info?

Thanks very much for any information and advice.

Mark,

Here's a link to a pdf on the subject. Hope it has something you can use.

[SIZE=-1]www.stewart.cs.sdsu.edu/0mystuff/gstewart/210143086_GS_Steamshower.pdf

There are 4 pages to select, pics and text.

Here's another: http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/archive/index.php/t-108.html


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Would that RockBoard or what ever it is called.......... Cement board..... not do the job? I'd imagine you would have to pay special attention to the chalking and maybe even a thick poly vapor barrier behind the cement board...?

Take pics and document it, as we call all learn from it!

Cheers!

Never built one, but I've gotten lots of info from the John Bridge forum, that place is great! I think the blue drywall is more moisture resistant than green. I think concrete board is less water resistant than any gyp board, but much more ridgid - so better for tiling.

Gotta run to Albuqwerky today, for the last of the drywall!

All I've seen around here, is the tile guys using cement under layment.
I have no experience doing it

I have never built a steam shower but I assume that the requirements would be much like those for a sauna which includes a shower and I have built three different saunas (one of them replacing a bathroom in a house) all with showers. In each case, I used knot free cedar for the surface
-tongue and grove 5/8 inch or 3/4 inch thick .

John Downey said:

Never built one, but I've gotten lots of info from the John Bridge forum, that place is great!

Click to expand...

I agree with John, the John Bridge forum is a great place, I did a quick search over there and there are quite a few in steam showers in progress now.

I would recommend using Kerdi, you can just thinset it right over plain drywall. No need for cement board or green sheetrock. I used it on our masterbath shower and it worked great. Fairly easy to use also.

Regards,

Randy