Julia Diamond

Hi terry, I understand what you are saying and I am going to write down all your suggestions and clarify what my options are. I really want to thank you for taking the time to instruct me. As I get closer to fully pulling down the walls--im pulling down the laths and foregoing the plaster-- I will post a photo of the situation and then hopefully it will be more clear. There are no dormer windows-- I don't think I used that word properly-- but there is definitely a slope to the ceiling. My plumber has gout! So we are delayed a bit. Going on day 5 without a proper bathe...

Hi Terry, thanks so much for your input. I will go with the gypsum boards as you suggest with a lime wash on top. Somebody else mentioned no tile next to exterior wall so I will skip the tile on that wall and stucco with a lime wash. I will use the mineral insulation as suggested as well. I have a question. I converted a garage into a guesthouse in los Angeles. For the bathroom walls including surrounding the tub, we just "stuccoed" over the drywall--just like you would with exterior stucco-flashing, chicken wire and then three coats (brown, scratch and top coat) and then I painted with old fashioned oil based enamel paint on that--12 years later its still beautiful and impermeable-- what's the difference between stuccoing and plastering? Here, plastering is such a big expensive production-- why not stucco and what is the difference? Ps- will try and make it to Chicago to see what's going on at that lime place.

Hi kieran, where do you get your mineral insulation? I think I read somewhere that you are in Detroit (like me). Do you know of a green building supply around here? Thanks, julia

Hi Jami, thanks for the response. My next task is to locate the mgo board in detroit-- do you have any leads. I don't have insulation but I do want it and am trying to avoid fiberglass so would appreciate leads there as well. Thanks again.

Hi folks, thanks for all the replies. My interest in green is that it makes me sick to pollute the planet-- thats about my whole philosophy. So, I want to go as green as I can. My confusion with the bathroom is that on one hand you want surfaces to be waterproof and on the other hand you want them somewhat permeable so the walls can "breathe". I'd like to use a natural insulation (at my last house I used chopped up recycled denim--i can't remember the name), but since this is going to be near water I thought maybe this would be too mold friendly??? But maybe not??? So far what I have looking in through my bathroom from the roof is roof shingles, then wood, then about 5" of air, then the remaining wood laths from the interior wall. So if someone were me--what would you use? Am I supposed to put some kind of flashing against the inside of the roof? Or is that not necessary? I'm thinking i would use insulation, then sheetrock, then backerboard, then tile. Do I have it right and if so are there natural alternatives to those items. Also, someone mentioned lime plaster but I think that takes time to cure? Thanks a bunch.

Hi folks, Im a total newbie. I have just bought a small 1918 house in Detroit. I am redoing the 2nd floor bathroom which is just under a dormer. We are putting the bathtub in a corner where it will be in some places inches from the roof and wall of the building (I mention this because it Will be below freezing soon outside) We have taken down the plaster (but left most if the lath). I want to tile around 3 walls of the bathtub. My question is, what are good natural alternatives to sheet rock, backerboard, tape and mud. I need to get this done soon so I don't want anything that needs to cure for more than a couple of days. 2ndly the other walls in the bathroom are plaster underneath but have multiple layers of fake vinyl tile and who knows what all else on top. I need to smooth coat those walls as well and am looking for a good non toxic product. I am in Detroit and would love a nearby supplier. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Ps--it doesn't have to be 100% green.