Installation Guide

12 MOVEMENT JOINTS
1 Schluter
®
-DILEX-EKE
3 PERIMETER JOINT
Cold (construction) joints occur where two successive placements of concrete meet.
True cold joints bond the new concrete to the old and do not allow movement. However,
it takes extra care to accomplish this, so they are usually designed to act as expansion
or control/contraction joints. Cold joints are treated in the same manner as expansion
joints. See above.
Cold Joints
Control/contraction joints are designed to induce controlled cracking caused by drying
and chemical shrinkage at preselected locations. They are typically formed by saw
cutting, tooling, or through the use of inserts. DITRA-HEAT is not separated at control/
contraction joints; however, surface movement joints must be provided in the tile
covering in accordance with the aforementioned guidelines. See also Surface Joints.
Control/Contraction Joints
Regarding structural and seismic expansion joints, please contact Schluter
®
-Systems at
1-800-472-4588 (USA) or 1-800-667-8746 (Canada) for proper installation guidelines.
Structural or Seismic Joints
Surface joints must be placed within the tiled surface regardless of substrate conditions.
They provide for stress relief from movements in the tile field due to thermal and moisture
expansion/contraction and loading. See figure 4.
Surface Joints
Perimeter joints are provided at the outer edges of any tile installation to accommodate
movements attributable to changes in moisture, temperature, and loading. See figures
1, 2, and 3.
If Schluter
®
-DILEX corner movement profiles will not be used, Schluter
®
-Systems
recommends the use of sill seal (a compressible polyethylene gasket used to seal the
gap between foundations and sill plates) as a quality control measure when providing
perimeter movement joints. The sill seal band is placed against perimeter structures
before any component of the tile assembly is installed, (e.g., DITRA-HEAT, additional
underlayments including self-leveling materials, mortar beds, etc. See figures 2 and 3).
After the tile is installed and grouted, any excess sill seal material is cut away, leaving a
movement joint with uniform width that is void of any mortar, grout, or other restraining
materials that would render the joint ineffectual.
Perimeter Joints
Typical movement joint applications
2 SILL SEAL BAND
4 Schluter
®
-DILEX-BWS
Expansion Joints
Expansion joints permit both horizontal and vertical differential movements attributable
to thermal and moisture expansion/contraction by providing a complete separation
for the full depth of the slab to allow for free movement between adjoining parts of
a structure or abutting surfaces. They are typically placed at columns, walls, and
any other restraining surfaces. Expansion joints must be continued through the tile
covering. The DITRA-HEAT membrane is separated at expansion joints and the joint is
continued through the tile covering using DILEX movement joint profiles. The DITRA-
HEAT-E-HK heating cables must not cross expansion joints. When DITRA-HEAT
is used as waterproofing, the abutted sections must be covered with KERDI-FLEX
or KERDI-BAND.