I don't know which is best, but I can tell you that DH found Hydroban to be very easy to apply (over the Hardibacker) on the tub and shower surrounds in our bathrooms. He rolled three coats of it on the walls, ceilings, and in/on the niches.

Great, thanks.

The short answer? For an easy and effective DIY installation that will give you ease of installation and an effective bang for the buck? Use Hydroban over Hardie.

The long answer? And I always seem to have a long answer:

Tile backer board? For DIY you might find fiber-cement easier to work with than cement board.

Personally I prefer Durock or Wonderboard (true cement boards) as the tile backer board in showers and tub surrounds, and I find Durock easier to work with than Wonder.

Nothing really wrong with fiber-cement as a tile backer board except for its thirst for water. I just prefer cement, especially behind Kerdi.

The membrane?

Most DIYers find Hydroban is easier to work with than Kerdi, and HB goes on any tile backer pretty easily. If using Kerdi you might find it easier to install the Kerdi over Durock due to Hardie's water wicking issues.

HB is excellent for a non-steam shower where you only need waterproofing. For a steam shower I use something else, usually Kerdi.

If you are using a DIY sloped mud bed for the shower floor and HB on the walls, I recommend using a flanged drain; either the Laticrete drain or the Kerdi drain. Then use Hydroban on the walls, on the sloped mud bed, and on the drain flange.

If you are using a trench drain, some drains come with a bib of waterproofing sheet membrane already hemmed to the drain. Use a membrane in the remainder fo the shower that is compatible with that fabric. ie, if it's Nobel's fabric on the trench drain, then use a compatible Nobel membrane for the remainder of the shower.

If your brain is now numb and your eyes glazed over? Then just remember "Hydroban over Hardie".

Are you still going to tile this design in as an accent on your shower wall?

I hate you! (not) (I also don't think I can watch the game tonight, too stressful)

Thank you for reposting that Mongo. I wanted to change my work profile and I was looking for that on GW over the weekend. Playoff hockey time!