Which mortar to use with ditra

Ardex is the leader at this time. At the present time I use Kerabond T as this is a medium bed mortar and we are speaking of a 12x24 large format tile. I'm looking forward to trying the new Ardex. I'm getting to old to keep up with the rapidly changing technology. And with MFG's also able to change up setting instructions tech specs without warning It does take a lot of exhaustive energy to keep up.

But that also is a major deciding factor for the educated modern homeowner of today to hire the informed and current tile contractor. I appreciated your apology. But now it looks like you deleted those earlier posts? No worries You wanna take me to task for ribbing whipple about the duct but its perfectly ok for you to harangue Nathan about his choice of drywall in the shower??? You better go look in the mirror and strap in,cause im not going anywhwere nor am I going to conform to your sense of how things should work around here.

Your drywall comment is quite good from a logic standpoint. But, it is approved for use in showers with schluter and durock shower membranes and they have the testing validating it.

None of that will help if your valve develops a leak in the wall but According to your logic though - you're attacking his choice of an aproved assembly. I guess thats ok since he's just a homeowner or a pro hiding behind a login.

It'd also be someone eles's problem,area,ect Tundra, don't know what happened. Saw your retraction which I appreciated and replied to, then it disappeared. As I'm viewing this right now several of your posts I've replied to are missing.

Just to keep things clear, I wrote a lengthy reply to you on this thread explaining why I keep forum participation separate from business. When I came back to this thread later I saw you deleted your posts that contained your half of the conversation. With your posts missing, my explanation had no context and seemed out of place. So I removed my explanation. Glad that you got a chance to read it. I don't understand why you deleted your posts though. Indem Sie weiterhin auf der Website surfen bzw.

Mehr erfahren. Sign In. Join as a Pro. Houzz TV. Houzz Research. Shop Featured Holiday Categories. Home Decor. Holiday Decor.

Christmas Trees. Holiday Lighting. Gift Cards. Nathan Wallace 6 years ago. Email Save Comment Featured Answer. Like 4 Save. Sort by: Oldest. Newest Oldest. Sophie Wheeler 6 years ago. Like 1 Save. Nathan Wallace Original Author. Like Save. I am getting a bit concerned about having the Schluter system used.

My tile installer has been using it for seven years he claims so he should be familiar with it. He said he had used that floating method in more than installs and has had no problems with any leaking. When you mentioned large size tile being difficult to install with this system, that made me more concerned because the tile I am using is 40"x13".

The people who were sent to work on my bathroom, even though they work for the tile installing company I hired, don't seem to be very experienced and I do worry that they may be over their their head with the Schluter system.

I am really not sure which way to go with this. Well bryan I appreciate your dilligence and persistance. I think i need to answer your statements again with the same advice and hope its not taken the wrong way as often the case on these forums.

I've contacted a structural engineer who's likely going to do a site visit and offer advice about notching the joists by 1. Smart, but the fact that your newly minted GC whos a carpenter?? I know that sounds like a slight but I am trying to help guide you down the road to succeeding.

The first time I'm confident that he'll do a great job. My research is just to make sure that I understand that everything is being done correctly and to have educated discussions with him about it, but he'll be running the show : Again myself and CTEC have guided you towards MFG tech support for a reason. Id also suggest a solid contract with detailed tile and carpentry scope referencing everything regardless if you choose to take a chance on a friend doing this work.

Surely there will be a lot of hard earned money involved. Best of luck :. What to place between tile and subfloor in Bathroom Q. The professionals as you call them is the reason I had to redo it. Now you are gathering pieces of misinformation to confuse the matter even more.

Sorry two attempts and still full of bad info. Hire a professional tile setter. Just a thought. Perhaps correcting the actual cause of the water getting outside the tub would be a good idea:. Waterproof curbless shower on slab Q. It's important to note that latex- modified thinset can still be used between the membrane and the subfloor because it is not impervious.

However, unmodified thinset should be used between the membrane and the tile. Fortified Thin-Set Mortar is a professional formula, all-purpose mortar, polymer- modified to provide good bond strengths. VersaBond cures quickly and adheres to most surfaces. Modified thinset mortars aren't recommended for use with Kerdi because they must dry out to gain strength, whereas the membrane inhibits drying, which can lead to unpredictable results.

For example, if a shower is used before the mortar has cured properly, leaks and polymer leaching can occur. Unmodified thinset has been around forever. Unlike unmodified mortar, which consists only of a blend of Portland cement, sand, and water retention agents, modified thinset includes additional retention products, such as latex polymers, which can increase its performance and strength.

Unmodified thin-set mortar is recommended to set ceramic and stone tile, including large format tiles, over the KERDI membrane. Portland cement-based unmodified thin-set mortars are dependent on the presence of moisture for hydration in order to gain strength. A professional formula, all-purpose mortar, polymer- modified to provide good bond strength for floor and tile projects.

All portland based cementious products will allow water to pass through. The latex modified is more resistant due to the latex that is mixed in with the adhesive but that doesn;t make it " waterproof ". The latex also allows a bit more flex in the tile and substrate. As Jason described, thinset itself isn't waterproof.

No need to wait for the mortar to cure. Ditra is waterproof, while cement board lets water through but won't be damaged by it. With cement board , the tile is mortared to the cement board and the cement board is mortared to the substrate, so there's a chemical bond.

Beside above, what is unmodified mortar? In general, unmodified thin-set mortar is a blend of Portland cement, sand, and water retention agents that is mixed with water by the user. Look for this standard on the packaging e. In general, we don't recommend the use of modified thin-set mortar to set tile over the membranes because these mortars must air dry to cure properly.

Primarily because cement board is heavy, adds height to your tile installation, and needs to be waterproofed. DITRA has been out for a long time and most professionals use it because it will prevent tile from cracking, it will be easier to install, and it will lessen the height between your tile adjacent flooring.

What is the difference between modified and unmodified thinset mortar? Unmodified thinset has been around forever. Unlike unmodified mortar, which consists only of a blend of Portland cement, sand, and water retention agents, modified thinset includes additional retention products, such as latex polymers, which can increase its performance and strength. Is there a difference between Thinset and mortar?

It's a mix of cement, water, and fine sand. It is usually used to attach tile or stone to surfaces such as cement or concrete. Should I use modified or unmodified thinset? It's important to note that latex-modified thinset can still be used between the membrane and the subfloor because it is not impervious.