2026 Wet-Room Guide • Family-Owned Since 1970 • CSLB #265709
Bathroom Drywall Solutions
A bath has two jobs: humid walls you paint, and wet walls you tile. Greenboard is for steam. It is not the shower surround.
The Short Answer
Vanity walls, toilet walls, and most bath ceilings: moisture-resistant gypsum (green or purple board). Tiled shower and tub surround: cement board, DensShield, or the backer the tile spec names — plus the waterproofing that spec requires.
Ron Hogan Drywall has been family-owned since 1970. We hang the board the room needs. We do not sell greenboard as a shower pan, and we do not remediate mold.
Fix the Water First
A fan, a sealed shower, and a dead leak matter more than the color of the paper. Board hung on wet studs stains. Board over an active pipe leak fails again.
If the cavity still smells or the paper is soft, cut it out after the plumber is done — do not skim over it. Wet board rules →
What Goes Where in a Bath
1. Painted walls (humidity)
Moisture-resistant drywall — often called greenboard or purple board. Better than regular paper board around a vanity, toilet, and linen closet. Still gypsum. Still not waterproof.
2. Tiled shower / tub surround
Cement board, DensShield, or another listed tile backer. Greenboard is the wrong panel here. The tile and waterproofing spec decide the product. Types →
3. Bath ceiling
Moisture-resistant board, and often 5/8-inch if the joists are wide. Steam rises. Regular 1/2-inch wallboard over a shower is how sag and stains start.
4. Half bath / powder room
No shower spray. Moisture-resistant is still the smart default. Regular board can work in a dry powder room; it is not worth saving a few dollars if the fan is weak.
5. Laundry next to the bath
Same rule as humid walls: moisture-resistant gypsum. A washer pan leak is a plumber first, then new board.
6. Steam shower / spa wall
Not greenboard. That assembly belongs to the tile and waterproofing spec — listed backer plus membrane. We hang what that spec names.
Greenboard vs Shower Backer
| Question | Moisture-resistant drywall | Cement board / DensShield |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Gypsum with treated paper or an enhanced core (green / purple) | Cement or glass-mat tile backer |
| Handles | Steam and humidity | Direct water behind tile, with the specified membrane |
| Use it | Painted bath walls, most ceilings, laundry | Shower walls, tub surround, wet tile |
| Do not use it | As the wet-area tile backer | As a painted living-room wall. It is a backer, not a finish panel |
| Finish | Tape, texture or smooth, primer, paint | Tape/mesh per the product, then tile — not a Level 5 skim |
DensGlass is exterior sheathing. It is not the painted bath wall. Board picker →
How We Handle a Bath
1. Dry framing
No active leak. Studs not wet. Fan working. Plumbing signed off if the permit requires it.
2. Right panel in each zone
Moisture-resistant gypsum outside the spray. Listed backer where tile gets wet.
3. Finish the painted walls
Tape, coats, texture or Level 4 / 5 on the gypsum. Primer-ready for the painter. Finish levels →
Common Bath Failures We Replace
Regular board in a wet bath
White paper over a shower steams, stains, and softens. That is a cut-out, not a coat of Killz.
Greenboard behind shower tile
It was common decades ago. It is not the wet-area backer. Grout is not waterproof. The core still drinks.
No fan, or a fan that dumps in the attic
Moisture-resistant paper buys time. It does not replace exhaust to the outside.
Paint on soft, stained board
If the gypsum crumbled, it comes out. We replace board. Large mold cleanup is another trade.
Not on This Page
We do not sell “smart waterproof gypsum,” prefab spa walls, or a mold-remediation package. Tile, pan, and membrane details belong to those trades and the written spec. If the drawing names DensShield or cement board in the shower, that is what goes up — not leftover wallboard. Wet-area services →
Need the Bath Board Hung Right?
1. Send Photos
Text (925) 791-9099 the city, the shower wall, and the painted walls.
2. We Split the Zones
Humidity gypsum vs wet-area backer. We will say if the framing is still wet.
3. We Hang and Finish
Licensed crews. 12-month warranty on our work.
Bathroom Drywall FAQs
What drywall should I use in a bathroom?
Moisture-resistant gypsum on painted walls and most ceilings. A listed tile backer — cement board or DensShield, not greenboard — in the tiled shower or tub surround.
Can I use greenboard in a shower?
Not as the wet-area tile backer. Greenboard handles humidity. Direct spray belongs on cement board or another product the tile spec allows.
Is purple board better than greenboard?
Purple board is a moisture- and mold-resistant gypsum. It is still not a shower surround. Use it on humid painted walls if that is the specified panel.
Can I use regular drywall in a bathroom?
Not in a full bath if you want the paper to last. A dry powder room is the only place regular board is a maybe — and only with a working fan.
Do you waterproof the shower?
We hang the specified backer. Pan, membrane, and tile are those trades unless the written scope says otherwise. Do not hang board over a leak.
Can you replace water-damaged bathroom drywall?
Yes, after the leak is dead and the framing is dry. Soft board comes out. If the job is a large mold cleanup, hire that contractor first, then we hang new board.
Do you paint the new bath walls?
Core work is hang and finish. Gypsum walls are left primer-ready for your painter unless the estimate includes paint.
Hang Bath Board That Lasts Past the First Leak Test
Call the family-owned Bay Area crew that has been hanging and finishing walls since 1970.
Call / Text (925) 791-9099