One more tile (actually sheetrock) question

[JRobyn]

Me again.

It seems to be home improvement weekend around here. The wife has me tearing out the old formica backsplash in the kitchen. She's planning to tile it after the new countertops get installed. So the formica was contact cemented to the underlying sheetrock really well, and about 1/2 of the hard paper surface peeled off with the formica.

Any reason that I HAVE to replace the sheetrock? It will be a pain to get it cut out and new stuff in with the cabinets interfering. I've got the soft paper smoothed pretty well, and have cleanly trimmed the edges of the remaining hard paper. What I hope I can do is apply some sort of primer/sealer that will "harden" the soft paper and bind the fibers (maybe Kilz oil-based?) The weight of the new tile will "bear" on a granite countertop, and there are no wet areas involved, so all the old sheetrock has to do is provide a base for tile mastic. Is my hoping in vain?

Thanks,

- Jay

can't apply

 

[kennyd]

If you want the tile to last, and the grout joints not to crack, then you need to cover that old Sheetrock. A very good product IMHO is Hardi-Backer, available in 1/4" thickness and 2x5' sheet from Lowe's. Spread liquid nail over the back of it and screw it to the studs. It's no fun tiling once-and its really no fun doing it twice!

 

[Egon]

Tilling on your present drywall just means you have to do it again in a few years.

The previous suggestion of cement board may be one of the easier methods to solve your problem.

You may also want to investigate the Schluter membrane on cement board or plywood for the backsplash.