Waterproofing: the Invisible Half
Tile is the pretty 10%. This page is about the dry 90%.
Ask any bidder two questions: 'what board goes behind the tile, and what membrane goes on the board?' If the answer is greenboard and nothing, keep shopping. Here is our specified assembly for Farmington tub surrounds, why each layer exists, and the photos we take mid-job so you never have to take our word for it.
- Cement board substrate. Won't swell, soften or feed mold when wet.
- Bonded membrane. Paint-on or sheet membrane over every wet-area square foot.
- Sealed penetrations. Valves, spouts and fasteners gasketed, not just grouted around.
- Movement joints. 100% silicone at corners, tub line and ceiling — grout cracks there.
- Photo documentation. You see the waterproofing before tile covers it. Always.
Farmington notes
In Farmington we photograph every membrane coat with that day's date: Farmington sellers refresh the shower floor and re-grout the walls before listing — it reads as a renovated bath in photos for a fifth of the price. Dry walls are a system, not a material — and the system is what our workmanship stands on.
Dry-wall system, layer by layer
Surround tile we set most in Farmington — each suits different baths and budgets.
Common questions
Our workmanship warranty covers the assembly we build — substrate, membrane, joints and seals. The quote states terms plainly; no weasel words.
You must — we photograph every stage and walk you through before setting begins. Any bidder who won't show rough work is telling you something.
Roughly $350–$700 of a standard surround: board, membrane, sealants and the labor to do them right. It's the cheapest insurance in the job.
Cement board substrate, bonded membrane over all wet surfaces, sealed fasteners and penetrations, and 100% silicone at every change of plane. Photographed before tile covers it.