Installation Guide

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.
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). The profile is also suited
for exterior use.
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).
The profile is also suited for exterior use.
MOVEMENT JOINTS AND COVE-SHAPED PROFILES
2