Greenboard in showers
 

I have done a few bathroom projects and NEVER use greenboard as a backer in the shower, have always put up concrete board.

Recently a buddy hired a contractor and thats what he used. Claimed there will be no issue.

Is it going to hold up? Isnt greenboard just a coated dry wall thats water resistant?

Should use a cement board for tiled shower, Durock, Hardi, etc... Greenboard is water/mildew resistant but it's still just drywall. Fine for the rest of the bathroom but not in an actual shower where it gets direct water. It will eventually get wet, mildew, and generally cause problems with either mold or tiles coming loose. Plenty of showers have been done like this, but no reason to do a new one that way given the knowledge and materials available. Eventually could be a year, a decade, or longer... time will tell. If he can get the contractor to come back and do it right, now is the time.

I thought that you used green sheet rock In bathroom areas like the ceiling Or walls that were higher than what water gets too. The green wax like paper that covers it is mildew resistant where the paperlike material on sheet rock can absorb moisture. Wonder board which is a cement Board Is what you adhere tiles two in wet areas

They need to rip those walls out and put up cement board. Water will always get past the grout as it is porous. If a crack develops water will definitely get past. I have never met a professional tile setter who used drywall under tiles, in wet areas. The challenge is something like Hardi-backer is .042 and drywall is .5, so shims need to be used on any wall that have both types of boards.

Where did they waterproof? Behind the wall with plastic? Or did they use something like Redguard? Or both?>YIKES!

If not fully completed yet my recommendation would be to put a halt to the project, get a second opinion from a well respected tile setter, and fire the first outfit, and hire the second without paying the first outfit, much if anything. If they take him to small claims court, file a claim again them, and use the photos of the poor install along with the written letter the second opinion hopefully gives to get the job. Along with any web research. There is a ton of information on the web available.

Never do I approve of hack work when charging for it. Unfortunately the job will last just long enough to make it past any warranty, then fail causing more damage to the home structure from mold and water damage, that may go unseen or noticed until it is too late.

Heck we can't even get green board anymore, it is all purple these days.

Peter hit the nail on the head. Good work isn't cheap...cheap work isn't good. That guy is a hack.

Been in the tile business nearly three decades. Custom brand "Red Guard" is used by some to water proof varioust substrates including green sheetrock with some success. Just do it right. Use DUROCK brand wall backer and be confidant your project will last a very long time. Little known fact: the difference in moisture absorption rate between "green" sheetrock and "regular" sheetrock is only about 2%. USG did a great marketing job promoting green board back in the day.. We use Laticrete "Hydroban" to water proof all benches, shelves and tape joints in Durock. Never had a shower leak.

When I rebuilt my shower 20 years ago, I used concrete board for the first couple feet from the shower pan and green board the rest of the way to the ceiling. Still solid.