Hi folks,
I used Shluter Ditra for the first time in my own bathroom and family room additions. The family room is working out just fine. However, after a couple of years I have some floor tiles in the bathroom that are coming loose.
The bathroom floor is 2×12 joists, 16″ on center, with 3/4″ plywood subfloor (same as family room). The joist span 16 ft in the bathroom whereas the joist span 12 ft in the family room (3 spans of 12 ft for a total of 36 ft). I suspect that maybe there’s a little bit of bounce in the bathroom due to the 16 ft length of the joist and it’s just enough to make the loose over time.
Anyone have any other thoughts?
Thanks in advance,
Roger
Replies
I'ld expect tiles to crack if the floor was bouncey, loose tiles are usually the mastic failing or improperly applied , at least you should be able to remove and replace them ..
Even though it takes longer I "always" backbutter my tiles in all situations. Its that added insurance that just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Also, you may consider next time if possible to add another 1/2" on top of the 3/4". Its always better, not that I always do it.
Be well
andy
The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
probably the thinset was too dry and you didn't get good bonding.
it is unlikely that the floor flex has much to do with this.
carpenter in transition
Hey, Rog--
When working with Ditra, sometimes it happens that one doesn't get all the air bubbles out from under it, and this can cause failure later on. The only way to find out is to pop the loose tiles out completely. Then you'll see if it was the tile that unbonded from the membrane, or the membrane which unbonded from the substrate.
If the Ditra came unstuck from the floor, you cut an X slit into it, scrape the dried thinset off the substrate, and squirt or squiggle some new thinset in under the membrane. Then you slide a patch of membrane in under the X so it laps under the edges of the slit area, trowel in more thinset on top of the patch, making sure you get some between the patch and the original layer of membrane where they overlap, and finally reset the tile(s) on top.
Dinosaur
A day may come when the courage of men fails,when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship...
But it is not this day.
Thanks, guys,
The bathroom was the first place I ever tried it. It is very possible that some of those things happened (e.g., thinset too dry, bubbles, etc.). Thanks goodness it isn't happening in the family room!!!
I really appreciate the recommendations on fixing it! Many thanks!
Dino - my best to Ryan. I hope he's putting that cigar box to good use... ;-)
That cigar box has become his new special treasure chest. He keeps in it all the little souvenirs from each too-short visit we have together. 'Special' rocks he picks up; golf tees; a stick from a rock-candy lollipop; you name it.....
Don't worry too much about fixing the tile over the Ditra; you'll figure it out once you tear into it, LOL. But I'm curious why you needed to lay Ditra under the bathroom floor tile. Usually we only use that for shower pans.
Dinosaur
A day may come when the courage of men fails,when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship...
But it is not this day.
He probably used it as an uncoupling membrane between tile and plywood.
Could be. But the Kerdi membrane is specifically designed for that, while Ditra is used more for it's waterproofing qualities.
Dinosaur
A day may come when the courage of men fails,when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship...
But it is not this day.
I see it almost as the exact opposite, with Kerdi being more of just a waterproofing membrane for wet areas and Ditra being an uncoupler material that can also be a membrane.But I could be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time...<g>
Mongo..thats exactly what I thought but I've been known to be wrong <G>.The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
And to think people say we don't have a lot in common...<g>
well we do share the
Long Island Sound...LOLThe secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
Ummmm, oops! (hee hee hee)
Brain f a r t. Cervical dysfunction. Synaptic disconnect. Cerebral code calamity....
(I meant what you said, not what I said.)
I hate when that happens. Pardon I while me go rock under that crawl over there....
Dinosaur
A day may come when the courage of men fails,when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship...
But it is not this day.
Dino,
Mongo's right. I used it for decoupling. I had asked for advice in Breaktime and that's that was recommended by a lot of people.
"it is unlikely that the floor flex has much to do with this."
a floor can be framed solid ... no total deflection ..
but still deflect between the joists. I know ditra says 3/4 is enough ...
but it's not enough for me ... for this exact reason.
floor flex can pop tiles over time. Little bit of vibration goes a long way.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
floor flex can pop tiles over time. Little bit of vibration goes a long way.
agreed. i think i made this statement based on the fact that he said nothing about cracking in the grout joints. i have found that grout cracks are the first sign of flex, then tile pops. if you just get tile pops, then i look to bonding issues.
carpenter in transition