We're giving our wood stove surround a makeover. We're going to build out the front with steel studs and cement board, then tile over it.
For the cement board, does one need to mesh tape the seams and corners? I know that's required for a wet install (such as a shower) but since this is a completely dry install, is that a required step?
If it is a required step, any tips? I've done it before for a shower, but it was a huge pain to get a final flat surface for the tile. I ended up with some slightly lumpy walls.