Replies

1. 
   gatno | Feb 19, 2004 05:22am | #1

   Neat lookin border!  So, what`s with the Ditra? Never seen it before, or heard of it (`cept to hear you `had trouble gettin ahold of it last week...)

1. 
   hubcap | Feb 19, 2004 05:34am | #2

   ditra appears to be the "Universal Underlayment".

1. 
   hubcap | Feb 19, 2004 05:43am | #3

   neat looking stuff amigo. I just finished a bath with a tile floor w/border couple weeks ago. Don't have any pics- gonna install all her hardware saturday- try to remember to shoot some.

   so... you fire anyone yet today?

1. 
   JeffBuck | Feb 19, 2004 07:37am | #5

   I didn't "fire" him ....

   I mind-melded him into submission where he had no choice but to refuse the offer to take an early lunch .....then quit.

   Actually ... took all the fun outta it.

   JeffBuck Construction   Pittsburgh,PA

        Artistry in Carpentry                

2. 
   CAGIV | Feb 19, 2004 06:24am | #4

   how did the ditra work for you?

   explain the process if you don't mind?

   

1. 
   JeffBuck | Feb 19, 2004 07:44am | #6

   Ditra......the process.

   first ... ya gotta drive an hour south to find the stuff .....

   then .... pay $1.71/ft sq for it.

   I layed the stuff out and cut first ..... no overlap. Just thin plastic ... zip thru it with a utility knife ...

   Now ..... slop down some thinset .... and notch trowel it out .....

   and lay the stuff down.

   Didn't have my roller on site ... so I "walked" it down firm. Nice thing .. kinda slippy plastic .... just shuffled my feet over it ... back and forth.

   and then ....

   done!

   I could see the benefit on a standard install over a large area ... makes for a real quick backer install.

   I was surpised that it laid flat .... must not have much of a memory ... came rolled up ... unrolled fine. I did make sure to take it out of the van over the weekend. didn't want it to sit all nite in subfreezing weather. Though it'd either contract ... or wouldn;t be as flexible. Not sure how the temp affects it ... didn't want to find out.

   the roll makes for a good play toy for a 2 year old ....

   Jeff

   Buck Construction   Pittsburgh,PA

        Artistry in Carpentry                

1. 
   Mongo | Feb 19, 2004 04:44pm | #7

   Saw the border and thought "hey, there's a water leak..."<g>

   Good info on Ditra, thanks

1. 
   JeffBuck | Feb 19, 2004 05:26pm | #8

   there's been a pattern change from the original ...

   at first .. the guy though I could just throw in a coupla 22.5 miters to have it square in the corners and then follow the layout of the neoangle shower ...

   I showed him there's a real limited window of oppurtunity there ... as those lines are squiggly .... they only match perfectly at the ends ... can get close in the middle.... the tile decided where ... not me.

   He then asked about running it up to the step.... dyingin ...

   then somehow picking up the pattern across the top of the step ...

   my first thought ... Cool ... it'll look like water flowing from the shower!

   He doesn't see water when he looks at it ...

   I see if flowing all around the room.

   JeffBuck Construction   Pittsburgh,PA

        Artistry in Carpentry                

2. 
   CAGIV | Feb 20, 2004 05:45am | #11

   what size trowel?

   gotta be pretty small to lay flat, no?

1. 
   JeffBuck | Feb 20, 2004 06:19am | #12

   V notched ... used what I had on hand ... 3/16th I think ...

   which .. I believe is what they recommend.

   V notch ... and looser than normal.

   Then again ... I know Boris uses only non-modified thinsets under ...

   I used my regular modified under and above ... the way I read the website ... the modified caution was only for wet/exterior areas. Places where the thinset may not have the appropriate time to dry/cure ....

   I'm even planning on letting the grouting go for a while ... just in case there is a dry/cure issue on the top side ... don't want any moisture getting trapped in there by the epoxy grout ... but I doubt there's any excess anyways ...

   V notched stuff was just loose enough to grab and flow ... and the setting bed had to be real stiff ... as these tiles are 19x19 ... and way over 1/4 thick .. almost 1/2.

   Big heavy suckers ... I've installed as big... never as heavy. Had to thicken the mix so they didn;t sink to the bottom!

   JeffBuck Construction   Pittsburgh,PA

        Artistry in Carpentry                

3. 
   jonblakemore | Feb 19, 2004 11:16pm | #9

   Jeff,

   I guess I'm behing on my tile technology.

   Ditra is an isolation membrane, right?

   If you use thinset to lay it, how does it isolate?

    I went to their website, but couldn't figure out the workings.

    

   Jon Blakemore

1. 
   JeffBuck | Feb 20, 2004 04:03am | #10

   Beats me?

   I'm guessing either there's movement between the orange plastic on top and the white perforated plastic stuff on the bottom .....

   Or ... with the indentations ... there's enough flex from the way it's molded ... top to bottom?

   Not sure ... I'll probably find out by years end if it works or not!

   JeffBuck Construction   Pittsburgh,PA

        Artistry in Carpentry