Thanks for all the tips! I'm about to start my bathroom floor with 12x24 tiles and just avoided multiple mistakes. Also, love the Steelers 5-gal bucket!
Man, oh man. I loved that video. So many details to take in, thank you. I was taking a break from mapping out a design for my bathroom and this vid was so enjoyable.
lol I knew someone would comment on that little rant about HGTV. I’d say don’t get me started but too late lol. Not all projects are terrible. But TV shows are problematic in that they train homeowners to think it won’t take them long or that contractors are overcharging, either way it’s bad. So ya, I’m not a fan of produced HGTV shows
@@HomeRepairTutor Yup, all the home reno shows here in Australia are the same. They are helping to feed the big hardware stores numbnuts who falsely believe that full bathroom reno is dead easy. . . "as seen on tv" Those programs mostly get their hardware stuff for free so its a mutual back scratching exercise.
Yes, I always clean and dampen the plywood prior to applying ALL-SET. Then I applying it first with the flat side of the trowel followed by the notched side. Great question
I from Sweden and there its a big no no to have hole in the floor for water, like there is in this case för the water to the toilet. Thats för the increased risk för water leakage. Pipes need to come from the walls or roof.
That is interesting. Please forgive me if this question is insulting. That is the drain for the toilet. In Sweden, the drain would go out into a pipe in the wall? Is that what you mean? And what about the shower drains...or floor drains?
It’s a good question and I normally say no because of several reasons. First, I like to inspect the joists for big notches or bored holes that compromise the strength of the structure. If you add more weight to these joists you run the risk of them breaking or the floor sagging which will crack your tile and possibly harm someone. As such, I recommend waiting and saving the money to do it properly.
@@ladawnemalone2955 thank you 🙏🏼 I know it delays your project but it’s the best option to inspect your framing. And you can always contact me if you have more questions
That’s a great question and I have a lot of books, but cannot recommend one definitive source. I like the NKBA book on bathroom design but it doesn’t delve into remodeling. Right now I’m working on something inside homerepairtutor.com that be a big help but it’ll be a work in progress. Normally I just help people with their specific questions to help clarify ideas and speed up their work
@@HomeRepairTutor i appreciate your response! I watch all your videos and can do just about every facet of home repair and remodeling, but doing a shower in an upstairs bathroom has me skittish. its not something i want leaking thru the floor becuase i missed a step or did it wrong. sometimes having a book on best methods or practices is easier for me. I'll keep going thru your videos should i decide to tackle this on my own
No, because if you use 1/4” plywood then DITRA, the thin-set will delaminate the 1/4” plywood. Your DITRA will in turn not bond properly and the tile will fail. What kind of tile will you be using on the floor?
@@nismo613 I like porcelain tile because it’s strong and doesn’t require double plywood like stone. Tiles with straight lines are easier to maintain than mosaics. So I’m partial to squares or rectangles
@@HomeRepairTutor Technically yes, but if your are using Ditra, no. The person didn't specify in there question about the use of Ditra, so technically you can bond another piece of plywood to another this way. Not debating the use of Ditra in this case.
Thank you for explaining this so plainly. A recent experience with a contractor & his crew left me wanting to figure out how to remodel my bathroom myself (I'm barely a diyer)
Hey can you help me? I am trying to tackle my bathroom complete remodel. I have laid the Subfloor and I want to use Ditra but my floor is not quite level. I am thinking about using a self leveler over my subfloor, can I do this before putting down the thin set?
Self leveler should be applied before DITRA. Then, depending on the leveler, you can apply thin-set to bond your DITRA. If the leveler is gypsum-based, you need to seal it.
My subfloor is 1/2” and is in great condition. Is it necessary to remove it just to have 3/4”? Also, I’m using cement board. Do I need to do any prep work to my subfloor before placing the cement board? The cement board I have has the waterproof membrane included
@@chrispnet keep in mind, cement board does not add any structural stability. Some additional questions: what’s the joist span? What type of tile are you installing?
@@HomeRepairTutor did not expect such a quick response! I appreciate it so much. Joists are 16” on center. My wife hasn’t picked out a tile yet but looking at 12x24 porcelain tile
@@HomeRepairTutor I’m just using it because I was told I had to for tile work. I’m also using it on the wall around the tub. Subfloor, cement board screwed to subfloor, mortar, then tile.
@@chrispnet you can always use cement board, but I tend to prefer DITRA because it’s thinner at 1/8” thick and provides an additional waterproofing layer. Cement board is good if you’re using a penny tile but in this scenario you don’t need it. The issue is your subfloor thickness. Schluter recommends it be 5/8” minimum. And you cannot use 1/4” plywood over it, but you can use 3/8” plywood instead. The 1/4” plywood will delaminate and cause your floor to fail. Thus, I’d either add the 3/8” plywood or tear out the 1/2” plywood and use 3/4” to make the floor stronger. Then I’d install the DITRA.
You never use tiles that big on a bathroom floor. It’s a huge mistake. You can’t pitch it right and they are prone crack. Make a pro look like a helper
This is outside the shower over 16” on-center joists with a double layer of 3/4” plywood. These tiles, when set properly over DITRA will not crack. There’s more than 95% thin-set coverage and the Tile Council only requires 80% - so this installation exceeds the industry standards
I'm half way through tiling 120sq ft in my master bath w/ 12x24s. 1st time in my life doing tiles. Thanks to this channel and a handful of others, I haven't made any beginner mistakes! Yet 🤣 Tip: I've found that mixing 25lbs (half a bag) at a time is all that I can handle at my speed. ALSO: I had 2 or 3 Ditra high-spots from thinset buildup. I used a grout float, but still missed these spots. Use a 4' level to check before it sets up! Cutting the spots out took a lot of time, but gave me a lot of confidence in how strong the Ditra membrane really is. Tiling over Ditra goes through some serious thinset; maybe 15sqft per 25lbs. Back-buttering a 12x24 tile is also a royal pain! These guys make it look easy. I'm 3 weeks into a shower/bathtub removal and 4x6 shower pan install. Including plumbing and electrical, I'm just now half-way through tiling the floor.
Thanks for mentioning that your going to be sore the next day. Working in small spaces on your knees will WEAR YOUR ASS OUT. you do great work brother.
That’s only available for DITRA-HEAT mats, not DITRA yet. I’ve installed both and am excited to see if the DITRA will be available with the pressure sensitive adhesive. I’ll be making a video about the DITRA-HEAT-PS 🙌🏼🔥
What is the ideal thickness of the subfloor for tiling (13x13), with Ditra? My 5x5 bath was 1/2" + 5/8" but the cast iron flange was just below that! Add Ditra and tile, and I'm 1/2" above the flange.
