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How to install Villaboard for bathroom shower reno?

Hi all.

I just starting on a shower Reno, installing larger shower base, re-doing walls (going from wall liner to tiles) using a Wet Area Solutions solid surface shower base. I'm sure I will quite a few questions as I work through however first one is around the wall cladding. At the moment the walls are Aquachek, I'm wanting to change the shower area to Villaboard. First problems was Villaboard is 6mm or 9mm and Aquachek is 10mm so joining will require packers on the studs. As I am working within a 1m x 1m shower base (it's a corner shower so 2 walls to do) should the Villaboard be installed Horizontally or Vertically? Second question is how do I join the Villaboard to the exciting Aquachek (taping etc) and should the water proofing extend over that join?

That's a lot to ask..

Thank you

Danny

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MitchellMc

Hi @Danne,

Transitioning from plasterboard (like Aquachek) to cement-based sheeting (Villaboard) is always tricky, as they’re manufactured and installed to different standards. There aren’t any formal guidelines on joining the two, so doing a clean, structurally sound transition can be difficult. If your goal is to switch the shower walls to Villaboard, you might need to consider replacing all the wall linings in the bathroom for consistency and to avoid compatibility issues. Or, at least have the Villaboard extend out of the shower enclosure where the join to the plasterboard does not need to be waterproofed. As you’ve noted, Villaboard comes in 6mm or 9mm sheets, while Aquachek is 10mm thick. If you were to use 9mm Villaboard and the join to the 10mm plasterboard was out of the shower area, this transition could likely be dealt with when tiling, without the need for packing the sheets. The thickness of the tile adhesive can be varied to suit.

Can I ask why you want to remove the Aquachek? When installed correctly and water-proofed to code, Aquachek is perfectly fine for a shower recess and meets the relevant standards. It’s generally more straightforward to keep it in place rather than trying to transition to cement sheeting.

To install Villaboard in the shower, you’d normally lay the sheets horizontally directly onto the studs. Trying to pack them out to match the Aquachek thickness isn’t permitted under the installation guidelines, so you’d need to adjust the studs or the wall framing to suit the Villaboard depth if you proceed.

If you do end up having joins within the shower enclosure itself, then yes – the waterproofing must extend fully over any transition between the two products. This ensures the shower remains watertight and avoids potential leaks.

Changing to cement sheeting mid-wall is complicated and not typically recommended. It might be worth considering keeping the Aquachek and tiling over it, or fully re-lining the walls with Villaboard for a proper, code-compliant installation.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

Danne

Thanks for the quick reply Mitchell.

From my reading Aquachek is not a preferred for the shower recess, my preference would be to replace the damaged aquachek with the same but as not sure it was OK for a shower area and would it also be suitable to hold up 600mm x 300mm tiles, tiling would only be two wide and 2.1m tall on each wall.

Replacing the whole wall starts to make the refurb a whole lot bigger project as we will only be tiling the shower space.

Danny

EricL

Hello @Danne

The choice is up to you; Mitchell has given you a very good explanation of what you need to be aware of in regards to using Villaboard and Aquacheck. Both materials are suitable for wet areas, the difference of course is that Villaboard is made from a durable fibre cement product. If you use Villaboard just keep in mind all of Mitchell's recommendations in regards to installation, waterproofing and how it can become quite complicated. To reduce the complication, I suggest fully re-lining the walls for a proper, code-compliant installation.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @Nailbag for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

Dave-1

Good Evening @Danne

I am also going with replacing the aquacheck with villaboard. The transition area is where I think you will run into issues. I had Aquacheck in my laundry and over the years and a small drip the material ate away. When I replaced the section that had given up the ghost the slight difference in height was noticable. Lucky my section was behind where the new cabinet was so I just painted it and left it.

Tiling over the join section would work I think but you still end up with the waterproofing issue. Spending the money and having a weak point mmay be asking for a problem sooner then later.

Dave

Nailbag

Hi @Danne

Just to reinforce @MitchellMc comments that Aquachek is perfectly adequate for a full bathroom cladding, after all thats what it's designed for. Remembering as he also mentioned that there is yet to be several layers of waterproofing, tile adhesive and the tiles themselves. Plus eliminate the issue of trying to make the difference up between blueboard and Aquachek. That can work which I have done before, but that was a full wall of each meeting at a corner, and not midway.

If it helps, please see below photos from a bathroom reno I did last year, which was all Aquachek.

Nailbag

Danne

Thank you, I'm going with the Aquachek, I'll have enough issues to deal, this eliminates one.

Nice job on the bathroom Reno's, lots of straight lines to deal with.

Danny

Danne

Project Update.

The Villa Board v Aquachek issue has gone to the back of the line now. Now that I have lifted the old shower base up I have a new challenge to deal with (a renovators world). The flooring is wood, Yellow Tongue (or Blue) and it not in a good way as the shower tray has been leaking. Need to cut out what I can now and will replace with a cement fibre boarding (Secura). The problem is the wood rot extends under the bath so that is going to have to come out now (project is getting bigger).

The next issue will be what the remainder of the flooring will be like. Where I have lifted tiles you can see that the tiles are sitting on a screeded base that has a water barrier between it and the Yellow Tongue. It looks like I'm going to have to pull all the tiles but do I need to redo the screeded underlay or can I just put a cement fibre board over the wood and water proof it before it is tiled?

The joys of renovations.

Danny

JacobZ

Hi @Danne,

Well, that's a pain. It's definitely frustrating, but I suppose it is part of the journey when renovating older houses. Seeing it as the next challenge to face is a good way to look at it.

It sounds like you are planning to use a tile over the shower base. If so, what shower base were you planning to use?

Some of them need to be supported with screed, whereas others can be installed directly over joists or a flooring material. The specific product's installation manual would give us the answers to this problem.

Also, did you have any photos you could upload of the space? It might help our members better understand and offer advice.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob

Danne

Hi Jacob

The shower base is a composite material solid surface that is Sikaflexed to the floor, Wet Area Solutions make them. I've attached a photo of part of the rot and the tile area I'm now ripping up.

Danny

JacobZ

Hi @Danne,

If you needed to add screed to support the shower base, then it should say so in the installation instructions. If it is the one I looked at, then it doesn't appear to need it, but I would confirm this with the supplier to ensure it is installed correctly.

Let me know if there is anything else I can assist with, and keep us updated as your project progresses.

Jacob

MartinM

Hi @MitchellMc, different question for the same topic. I'm putting Villaboards on the bathroom wall... is there any concerns if I want to use different sheet sizes (but same thickness 6mm) for different wall within the bathroom? i.e.: 2 walls will use the 1800x1200 sheets and the other 2 walls will use the 2700 x 1200mm. (this is to reduce the number of cuts and joints)

Is there any reason why I should keep the same length/width on sheets in every wall?

Thanks,

Martin

MitchellMc

That’s absolutely fine @MartinM, and in fact it’s generally considered best practice.

There’s no requirement to use the same sheet length on every wall, as long as the sheets are the same thickness and are installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s fixing and jointing requirements. Using larger sheets where possible to minimise cuts and joints is actually a good approach, as fewer joints mean less potential for movement, cracking and waterproofing risk in a bathroom.

As long as each wall is framed and sheeted correctly, the edges are supported, and all joints are treated appropriately, mixing 1800 × 1200 mm and 2700 × 1200 mm Villaboard sheets within the same bathroom is not an issue at all. It won’t affect performance, waterproofing or compliance.

So yes, it sounds like you’re on the right track and thinking about it the right way.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

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