Replies

1. 
   JeffHeath | Aug 12, 2008 07:44pm | #1

   You should post this over at breaktime, where the contractor boys and girls hang out.  However, ceilings are always drywalled first.  That way you can push the top piece of the drywall for the wall up tight to the ceiling.  It helps eliminate slight sags in the corners that can cause cracks down the road.

   Don't forget, glue and screw!

   Jeff

1. 
   NipponGuy | Aug 13, 2008 03:21am | #2

   Thanks very much, Jeff.  Knowing which order, for the best results, to do things in is important but not always easy for me to know."However, ceilings are always drywalled first."  I guess that this is true throughout the house and since I don't have any interior walls or ceilings, then it really does give me some direction.Yesterday I also asked about inclining a bathroom ceiling.  Japanese bathrooms produce a lot of steam and therefore condensation and sometimes cold droplets of water.  I thought an incline might cause the drops to run instead of drop.  I'm sure that I can get the information locally, if need be, before putting the ceiling up.

    

   Thanks again,David

1. 
   MikeHennessy | Aug 13, 2008 02:14pm | #3

   Uh, if you plan on having a lot of steam -- enough to cause frequent condensation -- you may wanna rethink your plan. Drywall will NOT hold up to such soakings, even with a good paint job.

   Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA

1. 
   NipponGuy | Aug 13, 2008 05:19pm | #4

   Hi Mike,

    

   My wife and I were talking about what materials to use for the bathroom ceiling and earlier today.

    

   There is some light weight board, which looks like asbestos board, though I'm assured it is not, that is available.  It's often used outdoors and it takes paint well.  My wife, who is Japanese, tried to find more information on the Internet about the board, but I don't think she knows the correct name for it.  The nearest Home Depot is thousands of miles away, so we'll take a visit to our local hardware store and hope that everything is not 'lost in translation'.  At the same time, we'll see what plastic materials are available.

    

   These days, in Japan, most people install unit bathrooms when building houses so there's not a lot of choice in ceiling or wall materials for bathrooms.

    

   Regards,David"Drywall will NOT hold up to such soakings, even with a good paint job."

1. 
   NipponGuy | Aug 13, 2008 06:03pm | #5

   The name of the board is 'Calcium Silicate Board'.  Is it good for a bathroom ceiling?

2. 
   heartwould | Aug 13, 2008 06:34pm | #6

   Is there a possibility of installing a ventilation fan in your ceiling? If so, that could greatly help with whatever condensation problems you may have. I have no idea what your building codes may be, but if "green board" is available, you may use that. It is more likely to hold up to higher condensation levels.
   In all of the bathroom remodels I have done, the area around the tub & shower which has direct contact with water is covered with some brand of cement board with ceramic or porcelain tile affixed to that. Gypsum wallboard will always fail eventually in those situations.
   Ceilings are another matter. What sort of ceiling framing do you have? Is it 16" oc or 24" oc; 2x4 or 2x6 or something else?
   There are always different ways to skin the cat, but the first thing to do is to identify the cat.

3. 
   RalphBarker | Aug 14, 2008 12:52am | #8

   Have you thought about trying to find an *old* Japanese carpenter who could tell you what was used in "the old days"? My guess would be tongue-and-groove cedar, or something similar.

4. 
   MikeHennessy | Aug 14, 2008 12:38am | #7

   If it wuz me, and it ain't, I'd consider using a wood like cedar for the bath if it's gonna be steamy -- kinda like a sauna -- and skip the sheet goods altogether. Isn't that more traditional anyway?  (Tho' I must admit I have no idea what a "traditional Japanese bath" would be.) It would also cut down on the amount of condensation on the walls/ceiling.

   Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA

2. 
   JeffHeath | Aug 14, 2008 01:22am | #9

   I will second, strongly, what Mike is saying to you regarding drywall and large quantities of steam and moisture.  They don't go well together.  I just got finished re-drywalling the 12 foot high ceiling in my master bath, including replacing the skylight, which had considerable condensation damage.

   It seems I was a wee bit over-zealous with the new steam shower I installed.  I've installed a power vent in the shower to eliminate most of the moisture, and also installed a 340 cfm fan outside the shower to get the rest.

   The pic I posted shows the new green board drywall I just finished installing.  If I were you, I'd definately look into a wood covering that's resistant to the moisture.  I'd be installing it on mine, but I'm selling the home, and looking to stay as 'neutral' as possible.

   Jeff

   
1. 
   NipponGuy | Aug 17, 2008 10:34am | #10

   Hi,

   It was holiday time in Japan last week and I had to go back to my wife's hometown where everyone was celebrating the 'Festival of the Dead'; a Buddist Halloween, so to say. Anyway, I found myself sitting next to a carpenter (my wife's cousin) and was able to ask him what I should use in the bathroom. As has been suggested, he recommends Japanese cedar, which is seemingly oilier than Chinese cedar. He says that I can use it for both the ceiling and the walls and that I should use a vapour barrier between the planks and the framework. As to the joints, he recommends 'shiplap' as it will allow the wall to breathe and there will be fewer problems if the wood swells or warps (I think that's what he said). As to the treatment of the wood, he says I can leave it bare or use 'Woodguard', which is some kind of wood preservative. He reckons it should last 20 years, if I do it right.

   I've treated the framework of the bathroom walls with insecticide against termites and creosote against moisture. I'm also building a double wall around the bathroom to help the walls breathe. Previously all the walls in the house were single walls.

   Thanks for the advice offered. I'm so glad I wrote and asked about my bathroom ceiling before I went ahead and made a bigger mistake than the one I'm sure to make anyway.

   Just another point. I asked the carpenter if I needed to put in an extractor fan and he says "No.", as long as we have a window.  We have a decent sized window, which even when open offers privacy. Japanese bathrooms are generally very small, I think ours is about six square metres, and that includes the laundry, we have actually expanded the size of the bathroom and we are also heightening the doorway and ceiling. Not roomy by American standards, but sufficient for our needs.

   Thanks again,

   David

    

1. 
   128MMcD | Aug 17, 2008 04:13pm | #11

   What SHOULD be taken into CONCERN is the Amount of Water Vapor that will Finding it's way INTO the FRAMING.    VAPOR BARRIER A MUST  !!!