Schluter DITRA
When installing most tiles we must look at our options for an underlayment.
Every job that we are taking care of we have to give the best advice possible to the customer based on both what would be best for the tile, and also what would be best for the customer.
And in a majority of cases if the customers budget can fit we will always suggest the use of DITRA as an underlayment
What is DITRA?
Schluter-DITRA is a polyethylene membrane with a grid structure of square cavities. Each of these cavities are but back into a dovetail, and an anchoring fleece laminated to the underside.
The anchoring fleece is embedded in thin-set mortar to provide a mechanical bond to the substrate is is laid atop of. Then the tile is installed over the DITRA using the Thin-bed method in a way that the mortar becomes anchored in the square. You can install this underlayment ontop of plywood/osb, concreate, gypsum, heated floors, etc.
Ditra is around 3.5 mm thick.
Now to move onto the selling points of the underlayment.
Uncoupling:
The product provides uncoupling through its open rib structure, which allows for in-plane movement that effectively neutralizes the movement stresses between the tile and whatever substrate you are laying it ontop of. which eliminates a major cause of cracking and delaminating of the tiled surface.
Waterproofing:
DITRA provides reliable waterproofing in interior applications. its polyethylene composition protects your substrate from moisture penetration. This is important because in most homes your substrate is moisture sensitive.
Vapor Management:
Ditra has free space created by the configured channels on the underside of the matting. the free space provides a route for excess moisture to flow and escape from the substrate that could otherwise cause damage to the tile above.
Support/Load distribution:
DITRA adopts the same physical properties that columns and pillars. Which simply means that when placed on a solid foundation can support tremendous loads. Column0like mortar structures are formed in the cutback cavities of the matting. Loads are transferred from the tile covering through these columns to the substrate. Since the matting is virtually incompressible within the tile assembly, the advantages of uncoupling are achieved without sacrificing point load distribution capabilities. The ability of the product to support the distribution of heavy loads while preserving the tile above it has been verified through extensive testing.
Us over at Madison flooring and paint will always recommend the product when the product could be of use. We are continued investors in making each of our customers satisfied with our work, but we also want to ensure that our customers continue to love the flooring that we sell and install in the years to come. This is why our recommendation for products from Shluter are ever-present. We would never recommend a product that we ourselves would not put in our own homes.
