Installation Guide

PRODUCT SELECTION 29
How Do I Choose Between DITRA and DITRA-XL?
Schluter uncoupling membranes provide the four essential functions for successful tile installation over a wide range of substrates,
including plywood/OSB, concrete, gypsum, heated floors, etc. The choice between using DITRA or DITRA-XL depends on the nature of
the particular project or application. The following points will help differentiate between the two products.
DITRA
• Minimizes tile assembly thickness and reduces transitions to lower surface coverings (e.g., carpet, engineered wood, and vinyl)
• Only 1/8" (3 mm)-thick – provides the thinnest possible assembly without sacrificing performance
DITRA-XL
• Allows for ceramic tile application over single layer plywood/OSB subfloors on joists spaced at 24" (610 mm) o.c.
• 5/16" (7 mm)-thick – creates an even transition between typical 5/16" (7 mm)-thick tile and 3/4" (19 mm)-thick hardwood flooring
DITRA
DITRA-XL
Choosing between Schluter
®
-DITRA and DITRA-XL
PRODUCT SELECTION
Even Transitions to Hardwood Flooring
In many thin-set ceramic tile applications, one of the goals is to minimize the thickness
of the assembly to reduce height transitions from the tile to other floor coverings such
as carpet, engineered wood, or vinyl. At 1/8" (3 mm)-thick, DITRA accomplishes this
goal while providing the four essential functions for successful tile installations. Schluter
floor profiles finish and protect tile edges at these transitions to complete the installation.
However, where ceramic tile meets 3/4" (19 mm)-thick hardwood, minimizing the
thickness of the tile assembly can result in a height transition up to the hardwood.
On various projects, our customers began using two layers of DITRA to solve this
problem. However, they requested a better solution.
Research and Development
Since the uncoupling function is based on the geometric configuration of the product, we
recognized that increasing the thickness of DITRA would result in increased movement
accommodation. When the new product was tested, it became clear that the increase
was significant. For results of the DITRA-XL ASTM C627 testing, please see page 24.
H = 3 mm - 1/8"
H = 7 mm - 5/16"