Ceramic tiles have one very human quality: Sometimes they crack under pressure. And although installers for years have been searching for ways to strengthen the bond between tiles and their subfloors, often stress fractures are caused by bonds that are too close. When changes in temperature and moisture cause the subfloor to expand or contract, tile and grout can crack or buckle.

Schluter-Systems (www.schluter.com) has one solution: a polyethylene membrane in a wafflelike pattern that is placed between the subfloor and the tiles. Called Ditra, it is an eighth of an inch thick and weighs 2 ounces per square foot. Ditra acts as a lightweight “uncoupling membrane” that frees the tiled surface from the stresses on the subfloor. It also serves as a waterproofing layer. Ditra works on commonly used subfloor materials, including plywood and concrete.

Ditra has been used commercially for almost 20 years, and has expanded more into the residential market with the increase in home-improvement projects, including those by do-it-yourselfers, according to Reinhard Plank, president of Schluter-Systems North America.

Ditra costs about $1.60 per square foot and is available at Home Depot and some flooring dealers.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 3rd, 2006 at 3:47 am and is filed under Interior Design. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.