Hi guys and gals,

My wife and I are buying a property that we plan to fix up and rent.

One of the issues that we came across during the home inspection that I am not sure how to fix, was a crack on one of the walls of the basement shower that is made from backing board (cement board).

The question I have is how can I repair this as cheaply as possible (and also make it look nicer after that)?

My plan was to cut the “rotten” or water infiltrated part and then fill up with epoxy, then sand and paint. However, I don't know what type of paint I can put on top of this cement boards or if the epoxy would be good enough of waterproof seal for this kind of application.

I have done different types of renovations before but when it comes to water and bathroom and this kind of stuff, I am a bit lost, so I appreciate the help.

Another option is to buy something I can place on top, some sort of waterproof sheet that doesn't cost as much as a bath wall kit (as I don't even have a bathtub in there. Any ideas?

Thank you!