Plywood vs. Cement Board

[MasterPlumbersKeymaster]

A carpenter/handy man is re-doing my shower. For the walls, he’s using plywood instead of cement board or blue-board – he’ll tile directly onto the plywood. Is this ok, or will the plywood get wet and rot? Thanks for the help.

[hjParticipant]

If water gets behind the tile, the plywood will warp and delaminate causing the tile to come loose or crack. Even regular sheetrock would be better than plywood, and that is not saying much. The cement board will not react to moisture and if the tile is installed properly it will adhere to the board better.

[GuestParticipant]

Agree totally with hj. Plywood base for tile is not used that much anymore even for counter tops.
Greenboard and cement board have become standard.
If you are hiring a handyman and asking the question here you must be trying to save some money. Saving money can be an expensive proposition.

[Author]

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