Ditra or CBU$$$ etc questions

[Kilauea]

I just got off the phone with Erica from Schluter.I was informed that your average 1/4 notch trowel will get 40-50 sq ft of coverage per 50# bag on top of the ditra.I was unaware that you can use a V-notch trowel to lay it.I didnt when I laid mine.Heck,I just used the 1/4''.To tell you the truth,Id be scared straight to set it down with anything less.I wouldnt use anything less than 1/4 notch to any substrate Im tiling over wood.Is setting ditra with a 1/4 notch a bad thing?I didnt know,but Im learning.

You must be snortin' your thinset if your only getting 30' per bag with a 3/8" trowel. I normally get 30-35 with a 1/2".

posted X Scuttlebuttr

Snortin thinset?C'mon!You're killin me!Did you pay attention when I told you what kind of knee pads I use?Yeah,the waffles did crush,and not because I tried,either.It's because of the knee pads.Im sure a 1000 lb man can roll around on it,and it'd be fine.For me,those are the knee pads that work for me.And they crushed the ditra.Period.It happened,end of story.

[dhagin]

Andy-

Originally Posted by me

Thinset Over.
1/4x3/8 for both. 6.7 bags : 4.8 bags

I used the same trowel for comparison. The # of bags is different. 6.7 bags over Ditra, 4.8 bags over backer.

LT-

The coverages for over and under Ditra and Ditra XL are on page 24 of the Ditra Handbook. I used the average of these and the coverages from the Kerabond spec sheet for the comparison. The Ditra trowel is 11/64x11/64 square notch.

[andybuildz]

Anyone see anything wrong with using a 1/4"x3/16" V notched trowel to put the Ditra down? That's what I'd been using to put my Kerdi down.

Not many people carry 11/64" trowels but the 1/4x3/16 is easily gotten.

Also...long as I'm here The tiles I'll be setting are 16"x24". Usually I use a 1/4"x1/4" notched trowel for my smaller tiles (10-12"). Think for these big tiles I should jump up to a 1/4"x 3/8" ?
And I "always back butter"

[dhagin]

1/4 x 3/16 & 5/16 x 5/16 v-notches are both listed on page 24 of the handbook as appropriate. If you're not getting good coverage, switch to a bigger trowel - this applies for Ditra and those 16 x 24's, 1/4 x 3/8 may be too small.

[andybuildz]

1/4 x 3/8 may be too small<<<

I was even thinking it may be too small myself. I'll just bring a 1/4x3/8 and 1/4x1/2 and try em' both...pull one up for each size and see how it sticks. Reckon thats the best fool proof way to know, huh? I can always angle the trowel more if the size seems a hair high...I suppose.

[scuttlebuttrp]

Originally Posted by LT

Snortin thinset?C'mon!You're killin me!Did you pay attention when I told you what kind of knee pads I use?

I wasn't talking about your kneepads, I was saying cause you only get 30' per bag.

I dropped a cigarette in a bag of thinset once. Picked it out and continued smoking. Had the worse hacking cough the rest of the day.

Do not ever smoke or snort your thinset boys and girls. You shouldn't eat it either. That's what mastic is made for.

[andybuildz]

Wish I had a pair O' deez
http://proknee.com/brochurepg1.pdf

[andybuildz]

what do you consider the best bang for the buck for underlayment thinset to Ditra...or thinset to anything for that matter?
More important than even being cost conscious...what's the best underlayment to use for thinset period?

3/4" A/C B/C OSB (Advantech?)

The subfloor now is 1/2" ply I'll be going over

Interesting tid bit of info...My lumbyards want $50(ish) for A/C I saw it today at Home Depot for $24 and B/C ply was $32...all 3/4"
OSB T&G at the Po' was $11 but it didn't look like anything I'd wanna use. Advantech on the other hand is as bullet proof and stiff as you can get as far as OSB products go but personally I like wood.

I just wonder if Advantech strengthens a floor better'n wood ply. Sure seems more solid'n stiffer than ply.

Any favorites among you all? A/c B/C OSB?

And thanks once again fellas
andy

[custombuilt]

Your osb's are just as strong as plywood. 3/4 inch tongue and groove osb underlayment is what goes in all the new houses here. When I lay a second layer of subfloor I typically use 1/2 inch plywood. Cost me 11 bucks a sheet.

[John Bridge]

Jason,

At eleven bucks a sheet it sounds like you;re using CDX. Haven't had any problems, I guess?

[andybuildz]

John...At Home Depot today I saw 3/4" T&G for $11 a board here on Long Island. One side for soe reason was painted blue on each board. that might have been the bottom...not sure. A bunch of the edges were chipped away but it was HD so lots of people were handling it I suppose. almost seemed too good to be true.
A/C was $24.
Whats better? A/C or OSB??
I need to run it through two areas..each area is about 450 sq ft or less and I'm not real comfortable using that OSB in the half I'm putting cherry flooring in. The other area is tile over Ditra. I don't think the nails will hold as well in that HD OSB as in wood...maybe if it were Advantech but that ain't cheap either.
I'd like to run all the same material.
Whatcha think anyone?