Tec Full Flex Mortar And Ditra

[oggiem]

HI ALL,
I AM JUST ABOUT TO FINISH MY FIRST TILE JOB IN MY 5x5 BATHROOM. HERE IS WHAT I HAVE DONE AND WHAT I AM ABOUT TO DO, SO PLEASE STOP AND CORRECT ME IF I AM HEADING INTO TROUBLE, THANKS.
I STARTED WITH A GOOD SOLID WOOD FLOOR.
INSTALLED HEATING PADS ACCORDING TO MANF. INSTRUCTIONS.
COVERED THAT WITH TEC QUIK LEVEL.
NOW I AM GOING TO PUT DOWN SOME TEC FULL FLEX MORTAR USING 3/16 V TROWEL, SET MY DITRA ON IT, THEN FILL THE DITRA USING A FLAT TROWEL.
AFTER DRYING 24 HOURS I WILL USE THE SAME MORTAR USING A 1/4-INCH TROWEL.
THIS MORTAR IS A LATEX MODIFIED THIN SET MORTAR. (Whatever that means). ANYWAY, I HAVE READ THAT IT SHOULD BE LEFT TO SET FOR 7-10 DAYS BEFORE WALKING ON. IS THIS RIGHT? I DONT WANT TO GO ANOTHER WEEK WITHOUT MY ONLY BATHROOM. IS THERE AN ALT. WAY OR AM I COMMITED TO THIS COURCE OF ACTION? SHOULD I TURN THE HEAT ON TO HELP DRY THE MORTAR? THANKS AGAIN.
Oggie

[bbcamp]

No, don't turn the heat on! You want things to cure on their own schedule.

Are you installing porcelain tiles? If so, you do have to wait a week for modified thinset to dry when installing over Ditra. With modified thinset, water must evaporate, and since both Ditra and procelain tiles are impervious to water, the water must evaporate at the edges of the tiles in the grout lines.

Schluter, the manufacturer of Ditra, recommends a non-modified thinset to set porcelain tiles on Ditra. Non-modified thinsets cure by hydration, a chemical process that bonds the water into the cement.

If you are using non-porcelain tiles, you can use modified thinset, and grout in 2 or 3 days. Ceramic tiles will absorb the excess water and allow the modified thinset to dry quicker.

Hope this helps!

Bob

PS, where are you at in beautiful Tennessee?

[oggiem]

Thanks for your reply it helps.

Yes I am using porcelain tiles. I dont know why they told me to use modified thinset,but I will ask then.

I live in Maryville and I also have a cabin by Boone lake. You are right it is beautiful.
Thanks,
Oggie

[Bill Vincent]

Use the modified thinset under the Ditra, but over it, use dryset thinset. You'll be able to get on it within 2 days, and still get a good bond.

[bbcamp]

Hey Oggie, I'm in Kingston! We're practically neighbors!

[stullis]

Actually since you are skimming the ditra and allowing that to dry before setting the tile you have now created a porous substarate and you will be able to get on it sooner even with the modified.

[Mike2]

Very interesting stullis......skimming the ditra, allowing that to dry, followed by modified. Now that computes and just make all kinds of sense to me.

Hope David Taylor sees this......what say you David, Schulter too, 'bout this method?

I'm in the midst of a procelin floor job, over Ditra, and this Masterblend's got me nervous.

[David Taylor]

The skimming is not a problem, it's the mortar that goes over top of it that needs to dry out. Even if you fill the waffles with modified, it and the Ditra would still be considered impervious because the moisture has no way of getting out other than the grout lines.

The modified sitting in the waffles wouldn't completely dry overnight. If you took the same volume of water used for that amount of thinset and put it in the waffle, a good portion of it would be there the next day.

Filling in the waffles beforehand speeds up the process of hydration, but not as fast as you might think. You still have to concern yourself with the mortar used to put down the tile and the rate it'll be able to dry out.

[Mike2]

OK...I'll go back to being nervous with my Masterblend. Actually not too nervous since John say's it'll work out OK.

Still think it's a good idea stullis...gist too bad it won't work.

[David Taylor]

I've always suggested the waffles be filled in and left to set overnight. It's easier installing tile the next morning on a nice flat surface that accepts chalk lines more readily.

[Mike2]

See, whad I tell you stullis, it is a good idea, gist for another reason.

I'll be giving all that a try David, really like the chalk line part....wife person's gettin nervous with me, using up all her hairspray.

[David Taylor]

It's not how you look while installing tile, Mike. It's how you feel.

[Mike2]

yah... and I definitely will be fellin' a hole lot better David when I don't get 'that look' every time I go git the hair spray to hit that blue chalk line.

[echo8287]

David did I buy the ditra from you? I was concerned about filling the waffles up when I read it on this site. I called Schluter and talked to Donna in tech support .She told me not to fill the waffles ,to put the thinset down and install tiles in one application. I was hoping I could fill the waffles so the lines would chaulk up better and be easier to read for a rookie. If you fill the waffles do you use a modified thinset and then set the tile swith to an un-modified? Do you let the filled waffles sit a day or so before you set tile? David Dixon

[oggiem]

Originally posted by bbcamp
Hey Oggie, I'm in Kingston! We're practically neighbors!

howdie ho neighbor. Kingston is a great place.
Thanks for all the help. Looks like we will have another wonderful spring...that makes all the things good.