Installation Guide

Apply DITRA or DITRA-XL to the floor, fleece side
down. Solidly embed the matting into the bonding
mortar using a float, screed trowel, or Schluter
®
-
DITRA-ROLLER (please observe the open time of
the bonding mortar).
When using the DITRA-ROLLER, place a weight
(e.g., bag(s) of mortar/grout or box of tile) not to
exceed 75 lbs on the DITRA-ROLLER shelf. Slowly
move the roller from one end of the matting to the
other, slightly overlapping successive passes.
22 INSTALLATION
Schluter
®
-DITRA and Schluter
®
-DITRA-XL
INSTALLATION
ESTIMATED THIN-SET COVERAGE
To bond DITRA and DITRA-XL to the
substrate: Use one 50 lb. (22.68 kg) bag of
mortar per 150 - 200 ft
2
(13.9 - 18.6 m
2
).
To bond the tile to the DITRA, using a
1/4" x 3/8" (6 mm x 10 mm) square- or
U-notched trowel: Use one 50 lb (22.68 kg)
bag of mortar per 40 - 50 ft
2
(3.7 - 4.6 m
2
).
To bond the tile to the DITRA-XL, using
a 1/4" x 3/8" (6 mm x 10 mm) square- or
U-notched trowel: Use one 50 lb (22.68 kg)
bag of mortar per 35 - 45 ft
2
(3.3 - 4.2 m
2
).
A step-by-step installation video is available. E-mail us at [e-mail] or call us at 1-800-472-4588 (USA) or 1-800-667-8746 (Canada).
To see a video clip, go to www.schluter.com.
Waterproofing
The following steps are required for waterproofing only:
At the joints, fill the cut-back cavities
with unmodified thin-set mortar,
approximately 8" (203 mm) wide,
centered over the joint.
Comb additional unmodified thin-set mortar over the joint using a
1/4" x 3/16" (6 mm x 5 mm) V-notched trowel or the Schluter
®
-KERDI
trowel, which features a 1/8" x 1/8" (3 mm x 3 mm) square-notched design.
Using the flat side of the trowel, firmly press the 5" (127 mm)-wide
Schluter
®
-KERDI-BAND into the mortar to ensure 100% coverage and to
remove excess mortar and air pockets.
At all wall junctions, apply a 10"
(254 mm)-wide strip of KERDI-BAND
as described in steps 1-3, centered
where the wall and floor meet.
Easy Step-by-Step Installation
Using a thin-set mortar that is suitable for the
substrate, apply the thin-set mortar (mixed to a
fairly fluid consistency, but still able to hold
a notch) using a 1/4" x 3/16" (6 mm x 5 mm)
V-notched trowel, 5/16" x 5/16" (8 mm x 8 mm)
V-notched trowel, or the DITRA trowel, which
features a 11/64" x 11/64" (4.5 mm x 4.5 mm)
square-notched design.
1
1 2 3 4
Notes
KERDI-BAND must lap DITRA and DITRA-XL at seams and at floor/wall transitions by a minimum of 2" (50 mm) in order to maintain waterproof integrity.
In some applications the vertical section of the floor/wall transition will not accept a bond to unmodified thin-set mortar. Connections to such elements
can be achieved using Schluter
®
-KERDI-FIX or suitable trowel-applied waterproofing materials, such as those that require atmospheric moisture to cure
(e.g., urethane sealant).
Tile can be installed over DITRA and DITRA-XL
immediately; no need to wait for the mortar to
cure. Fill the cut-back cavities with unmodified
thin-set mortar and comb additional mortar over
the matting using a trowel that is appropriate for
the size of the tile. Solidly embed the tiles in the
setting material. Periodically remove and check a
tile to ensure that full coverage is being attained.
Back-buttering is a useful way to help ensure
proper coverage, particularly when installing large-
format tiles (e.g., 12" x 12" (305 mm x 305 mm)
and larger).
Lift up a corner of the matting to check coverage.
Proper installation results in full contact between
the fleece webbing and the thin-set mortar. Simply
abut end and side sections of adjacent sheets.
Note: Coverage may vary with mortar consistency,
angle at which the trowel is held, substrate
flatness, etc. If full coverage is not achieved,
remove and reapply, making sure to verify proper
mortar consistency and application. In some
cases it may be beneficial to use a trowel with
larger notches, such as a 1/4" x 1/4" (6 mm x 6
mm) square-notched trowel for DITRA-XL.
2
3