Ditra laying methods

[Peter]

What do you all use for laying Ditra? Usually use a float and my feet but have a big area to lay next week so looking something a bit more efficient. Was thinking of making up a Karl Dahm style roller, then today seen a water filled lawn roller which looked like it might be an idea. Anybody use a roller system?



Order No. 11599 Karl Dahm® underlayment roller PLUS - Karl Dahm Shop, Construction equipment Tile wet saw Diamond tool Ceramic flooring saws installation cutter Tiling Rubi tools

 

[Spud]

150 bucks :yikes:

 

[Peter]

Bit optimistic with price I thought. Got all the bits to make it for about £3 from the local builders merchants. Thick brush shaft, shaft clip and brackets. Just unsure what to use for the actual roller itself. Any ideas? Brush shaft cut off or rolling pin perhaps.

Failing that, might have to give Karl Dahm a weeks wages for one. :lol:

 

[Spud]

Extendable Hand Roller Vinyl Flooring Karndean Tools | eBay

 

[Dougs Third Go]

I use a length of 2 x 1 pse batton, still have to get on your knees but seems to slide over and embed it better than a steel trowel imo

 

[nybor62]

i use a labourer

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

whats wrong with just dry troweling over the top with a plasterers trowel and body pressure ??

 

[Spud]

nothing wrong with that Dave all you have to ensure is full coverage on the fleece ,I tend to loosen my adhesive up and use a block of 4x2 to rub it down with

 

[jonnyc]

I bought a steel vinyl roller couple of years ago.i cannot recOmmend enough.we use on dukkaboard as well.
it is probably only worth it if using ditra on regular basis.,

 

[Peter]

Would be interested to know the coverage difference. Not entirely convinced that Ditra rubbed down by hand gives as good coverage as it would do if it's rolled and the adhesive is squashed more, even when mixed a bit looser. Ever notice there are some patches lighter than others? One for the testing team perhaps?

 

[suave]

steamroller :hurray::hurray::lol:

 

[Dougs Third Go]

whats wrong with just dry troweling over the top with a plasterers trowel and body pressure ??

only being a featherweight that's why I use a length of batten Dave, seem to be able to get more pressure onto mat without skidding but still be able to move it along

 

[jonnyc]

Well this brings another question up. I have always covered the top of mat with adhesive at same time as fixing mat.the reason for this is two fold.one is that when you quote the amount of adhesive you will need to fix tiles it is based on a flat subfloor not a ribbed surface that needs to be filled in . The other is the extra time needed to fill in the voids. When you fix a lot of metres in a year bothnthesevfactors make a big difference

 

[peteablard]

I use a karndean vinyl roller. The handle means you can get plenty of pressure on it, works a treat!

 

[John Benton]

Well this brings another question up. I have always covered the top of mat with adhesive at same time as fixing mat.the reason for this is two fold.one is that when you quote the amount of adhesive you will need to fix tiles it is based on a flat subfloor not a ribbed surface that needs to be filled in . The other is the extra time needed to fill in the voids. When you fix a lot of metres in a year bothnthesevfactors make a big difference

That's very true Jonny, you're effectively putting a solid bed of approx 3-4mm when you take into account the addy under the mat and then filling the depth of the voids on top, before you've even put your addy on to fix tiles. Like you say, doing it on a regular basis uses up hell of a lot of addy, and someone has to pay for it

 

[Peter]

Anybody ever worked out how much adhesive per metre the voids take up? A metre per bag?

 

[jonnyc]

If we are getting in to figures,I can say that if you use a 6mm notch under ditra mat and cover the ditra top you will need approx one bag average adhesive for 4sq
when using a vinyl roller no problem with 4.5 mm rubi notch underneath.
the vinyll roller really comes in to play with the psi pecilastic.
Only use 3mm notch for pecilastic and the the job is really easy.i can offer a good saving to client with this product

 

[Spud]

I did the schluter training course along with Whitebeam ,schluter gave us a 4mmx3mm mosaic trowel to fit the ditra and kerdi down with and said as long as you get full contact that is enough

 

[White Room]

I concur....

 

[On one]

Would be interested to know the coverage difference. Not entirely convinced that Ditra rubbed down by hand gives as good coverage as it would do if it's rolled and the adhesive is squashed more, even when mixed a bit looser. Ever notice there are some patches lighter than others? One for the testing team perhaps?

I did check the shading/100% contact issues with Schluter tech dept earlier this year(Using their supplied free trowel).They said this was normal and that 100% contact is not required.

 

[ishi69]

Best thing I ever bought, laying ditra far quicker with this.

 

[Dave H]

Schluter recommend 2kg m2 to fix mat and 2kg m2 to fill voids, I still use a plasterers float to lay, can get good pressure with this. generally dont fill voids first as good to use up rapid set thats going off to fill voids as your tiling

 

[White Room]

Best thing I ever bought, laying ditra far quicker with this.

Where did you hold of that.......

 

[peteablard]

Where did you hold of that.......

Thats what I use, got mine off eBay for about £20

 

[ishi69]

Most vinyl flooring / carpet wholesalers will stock these it's a vinyl floor and wall roller cost around £20. A lot less tiring than troweling the ditra/dural.

 

[Peter]

Got all the bits ready to make the Karl Dahm style upright roller now, will see how it performs. Should give good coverage with the bag of adhesive weighing the shaft down.

 

[White Room]

Schluter do say that the max weight for rolling onto the ditra which has a cement based adhesive to fix it down is 40kg......

 

[Peter]

20kg bag and a few kilos of pressure should be perfect then. :hurray:

 

[White Room]

Yep