Tile Underlayment / Tile Installers

rch2330

Oct 5, 2015 at 10:21am

I almost have the bedroom and hallway floors finished and the next thing I need to tackle is the bathroom. The existing attic floor is old tongue and grove nailed together, 3/4 inch thick. From what I have read about tiling, you can have cement board (1/2 inch) placed into thinset or schulter-ditra orange matting (tile goes on top with thinset). A lot of posts said Schulter-ditra is better as it can "flex" with joist seasonal swelling. The plans call for this layout (bottom to top):

- 3/4 plywood

- waterproof membrane

- cement board

- electric radiant set (an orange mat, which I doubt can go over S-D matting)

- thinset and tile

My question is: Can I have the installer put cement board over schulter-ditra matting?

In my home service list (from MOL), I have Jerry Perski and Cristian Valerio as recommended installers. Any other recommendations out there tile installation?

Thanks,

RCH

peteglider

Oct 5, 2015 at 12:07pm

close -- what's the tile? porcelin? ceramic? stone?

first -- based on what your construction is -- determine the deflection rating

http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/deflecto.pl

you may well need 2 layers of 3/4" plywood -- laid in opposite directions. screwed - NOT glued.

do NOT use cement board with ditra -- it goes right on top of the plywood -- and be sure and use the right thinset (see Schluter site)

tile goes right on top of the ditra (again, with the correct thinset).

John Clayton, advertiser, is a pro at using ditra.

kmk

Oct 5, 2015 at 3:10pm

Jerry Perski is starting work for me next week. (I have used him in the past.)

We have a hydronic heated floor (WarmBoard). We will also be using the Shluter/Ditra matting topped by ceramic tiles.

As John Clayton said, go to the Schluter website. They have installation details for many, many applications. Keep in mind that your home is NOT one of the high-traffic heavy-duty installations - just a normal assembly of underlayment and tile in a residential application.