Tile Underlay Membrane

[luvrbus]

Have any used the Schluter underlay the orange membrane stuff for tile floors instead of the wonder or concrete board if so how does it hold up in comparison ?

[Dave5Cs]

Clifford, I have seen it used and look at it when done before tile went down. seems like it works but for me I wouldn't trust the corners. seem like they could tear and leak. I still and at present am using PVC liner and mud bed and 1/4"Light weight wonder board over green board with 40lb felt between. On slabs used Red guard troweled on. All my tile places try to get me to change but I am old school!......

[bevans6]

There are two kinds of Shluter, one is a thin fabric for waterproofing walls, and one (Ditra) is kind of a grid pattern for floors.  It works by de-coupling the tiles from the floor, allows a little movement so cracking is less.  Works fine, I never used it in a bus though...  You have to watch what kind of cement you use to stick it down and then to tile.  It doesn't absorb moisture so you need to use unmodified cement thinset.

Brian

[brmax]

I have not as of yet but for interest possibly, I have really been looking also at the company Fin Pan. There lite weight backer board products, Pro Panel! fwiw looks interesting.
With a lot of the materials I am seeing they still require a certain hd structure as the norm. I guess some of tile products are considered more in the strength?. 
And from hearing here its tough to compare, Interesting post and I look forward to hearing on these types of project materials in or out of buses.
Thanks and good day

[John316]

Hey Clifford,

What project are you working on?

I have used the orange underlay when I am putting tile on concrete. It works really well there, and is easy to use.

John

[lou432]

Ya`ll striking on a subject I knows a bit about. Been setting tile for 25 years as my trade and been useing the Schluter products exclusively for 15 years + .
Although only did 1 bus conversion for a client 10ys ago with marble floors over 2" of wood subfloor and Ditra  and far as I know to date no cracks.
When/if I convert mine I`ll be using all schluter products.

As Brian said one of its features is its ability to de/uncouple which in simpler  terms means redistribute or disconnect the movement from the sub straight so the tile has less of a chance to  loosen or crack with lateral movement and some vertical movement.

The ditra is designed with the holes/trapizoids to mechanically attach the tile to the  Ditra , as thinset has a hard time sticking to plastic the holes are shaped in a dove tail manner so when the thinset hardens in them it is locked in the holes and  in essence the tiles are sitting on hundreds of towers of thinset and when the floor moves it distributes the movement equally to the towers and  dissipates the movement.

As far as Kerdi the waterproofing sheet membrane goes it has a bit of uncoupling features as well as I`ve never caulked any of my custom showers plane changes as recomensed by the TCNA and ANSI and to date seen no cracks at all !! But.......... If I when I use it in a bus shower I`ll prolly use there preformed sloped tray as there better with movement than concrete/deckmud and I  will use their  Dilex EKE or their HK  
http://www.schluter.com/141.aspx
Keep in mind they have new product called Kerdi board that I use daily and comes in 3/16 thick to 2" thick . I am now building my showers and tub surrounds along with seats,niches, shelfs etc outa it.

Oh...... and they just came out a year or so ago with Ditra Heat ,it is the bomb!!!! and def gona use it in my bus if I change her.
Two sites to check out... http://www.schluter.com/index.aspx


And  The best Darn tile forum you will ever run across bar none!!! 
http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/index.php

Learned more in 8 years on above site than 20 years on my knees!!!