Use and Care Guide

2
MOVEMENT JOINTS AND COVE-SHAPED PROFILES
Movement joints are an integral part of any tile
assembly. The various components of a tile
assembly (tile, mortar, substrate, etc.) expand
and contract according to each component’s
intrinsic physical properties with changes in
moisture, temperature, and loading, resulting
in internal stresses. Furthermore, structures
that restrain overall expansion of the tile field
(walls, columns, etc.) cause stress buildup
within the system. If the aforementioned
movements are not accommodated through
the use of movement joints in the tile field and
at restraining structures, the resulting stresses
can cause cracking of the grout and tile and
delamination of the tile from the substrate. Thus,
movement joints are an essential component
of any durable tile assembly. Schluter
®
-
Systems’ prefabricated movement joint profiles
accommodate movement and protect tile
edges, resulting in a permanent, maintenance-
free installation. The family of Schluter
®
-DILEX
prefabricated movement profiles includes a
variety of shapes, sizes, and materials to suit
different applications.
Application and Function
Mortar Bed Joint Profiles
DILEX screed joint profiles (DILEX-MOP and
DILEX-MP/-MPV) are designed to provide
movement joints in tile installations that are set
in a mortar bed (e.g., ceramic tile, natural stone,
pavers, and agglomerate tile). These profile
systems are placed to produce individual fields
in the assembly and feature flexible central
zones to accommodate movement. DILEX
mortar bed joint profiles may also be inserted in
saw-cut joints or wider joints; for example,
in the case of renovations. The remaining
joint between the tile and the profile must
be filled completely with grout or epoxy.
The side sections of the profiles, made of
rigid PVC, protect the edges of the adjacent
covering against mechanical stresses
caused by industrial traffic. However, where
heavy mechanical stresses are anticipated,
limitations of the PVC as edge protection
must be considered.
4.4 Schluter
®
-DILEX-MOP is available in
three different heights and features stable
serrated sidewalls made of rigid PVC and a
central movement zone made of soft PVC. The
side sections are made with environmentally
friendly recycled PVC and may vary slightly
in color. Since the side sections are partially
exposed at the surface, DILEX-MOP is
intended mainly for industrial use.
4.3 Schluter
®
-DILEX-MP adjusts to the
thickness of the mortar bed and tile surface
by attaching the DILEX-MPV extensions. The
profile features a central movement zone
made of soft chlorinated polyethylene (CPE),
which overlaps the recycled rigid PVC side
sections by approximately 1/32" (1 mm),
thus providing a more aesthetically pleasing
exposed surface when compared to DILEX-
MOP.
9.1 Schluter
®
-DILEX-DFP is
a movement joint profile for
installation at door areas or to
divide screed surfaces.
Height: 2-3/8" (6 cm)
3-1/8" (8 cm)
4" (10 cm)
Surface Joint Profiles
Surface joints must be placed within the tiled
surface regardless of substrate conditions.
They provide stress relief from movements
in the tile field due to thermal and moisture
expansion/contraction and loading. Schluter
®
-
Systems offers a wide variety of prefabricated,
maintenance-free surface movement joint
profiles, suitable for applications ranging from
residential to heavy commercial.
Residential to Medium-duty
Commercial Applications
4.1 Schluter
®
-DILEX-EZ 6 + 9 feature rigid
PVC side walls, which are connected on top
and bottom by soft PVC movement zones
that form the visible surfaces. These profiles
separate individual fields in the tile covering
and accommodate movement through the
soft PVC movement zones. Each profile
features two usable surfaces in different colors
for increased design options. One surface
of the profile features the PVC movement
zone in a solid color, while the other surface
features a brass or chrome inlay embedded
in the PVC movement zone. DILEX-EZ 6
and 9 are flexible and can be used to form
curves. The height, “H”, of DILEX-EZ 6 is 1/4"
(6 mm); the height, “H”, of DILEX-EZ 9 is
11/32" (9 mm).
4.7 Schluter
®
-DILEX-BWS features
trapezoid-perforated anchoring legs, made
of recycled rigid PVC, which are secured
in the mortar bond coat and provide edge
protection for adjacent tiles. The profile
separates individual fields in the tile covering
and accommodates movement via the soft
chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) movement
zone, which also forms the visible surface. The
movement zone is only 3/16" (5 mm) wide,
matching common grout joint widths. The
profile absorbs relatively limited movements,
given the width of the movement zone. This
should be taken into account when evaluating
the requirements for a specific application.
If larger movements within the
covering are anticipated, the
DILEX-BWS may be installed with
greater frequency to create smaller fields,
or the DILEX-BWB (3/8", 10 mm
movement zone) may be used.
DILEX-BWS is suitable for both residential
and medium-duty commercial applications
subject to light mechanical loads (e.g., offices
and stores).
4.6 Schluter
®
-DILEX-BWB features
trapezoid-perforated anchoring legs, made
of recycled rigid PVC, which are secured
in the mortar bond coat and provide
edge protection for adjacent tiles. The
profile separates individual fields in the tile
covering and accommodates movement
via the soft chlorinated polyethylene
(CPE) movement zone, which also forms
the visible surface. The movement zone is
3/8" (10 mm) wide, matching common
movement joint widths, and is thus
capable of accommodating relatively large
movements. DILEX-BWB is suitable for both
residential use and medium-duty commercial
applications subject to light mechanical loads
(e.g., offices or stores).
2
= H
3/8´´ - 10 mm