Crash course on installing granite on a 20 by 30 vanity.

[highup]

Customer asked me to do it. Plumbing holes are cut and it's pretty much drop in the front 3 pieces then the back three pieces.
The counter is new plywood.
Customer bought some Ditra to go onto the plywood.

I was told that 1/8 by 1/8 V notch might work for the Ditra, as long as I had 100% coverage to the fleece.
So I need to know what trowel notch will work without waiting for a week to get the proper Ditra trowel.
We're talking about 4 square feet of bathroom counter top, so whatever I do isn't as critical as a floor surface.
Before troweling the thinset on the bare plywood, should it be dampened slightly or primed?

OK, now the granite....... After filling the voids in the Ditra, will a 1/4 by 1/4 by 1/4 trowel be the right notch if I lightly back butter the tiles?

Lastly, does there need to be any wait time after installing the Ditra to the plywood............... or being such a tiny area, just do it all at once and gitter done?
No cutting, just drop em in place.

Any advice would be appreciated. ....including how soupy to mix the thinset.

 

[Nick]

I wouldn't put water on the plywood .

 

[DarisMulkin]

When I tiled my daughters basement bth floor used a 3/16" V notch trowel. same size for setting the tile. Rubbed the ditra in good with a 2x4. Back buttered the tile. This might help:



Daris

 

[havasu]

I've installed a dozen granite countertops and have never applied anything over the plywood, except for a few dollops of silicone around the perimeter. Is this one piece granite? The more I read, it appears it is granite squares?

 

[highup]

I've installed a dozen granite countertops and have never applied anything over the plywood, except for a few dollops of silicone around the perimeter. Is this one piece granite? The more I read, it appears it is granite squares?

Granite squares

 

[havasu]

When I did my old kitchen in 12" granite squares, I applied 30# tar paper on top of the plywood, and stapled the heck out of it. I then used a polymer thin set directly onto the tar paper and it worked great. I just think there will be too much flex and movement with the Ditra.

 

[highup]

When I did my old kitchen in 12" granite squares, I applied 30# tar paper on top of the plywood, and stapled the heck out of it. I then used a polymer thin set directly onto the tar paper and it worked great. I just think there will be too much flex and movement with the Ditra.

Isn't Ditra specifically designed for flex and movement issues?
Too late anyway. It went well. Ditra day one and the granite today. The grout in a week or so when I get back to the job.

 

[highup]

I used a 1/4 by 1/4 trowel. I back buttered the granite with a 5/16" V notch trowel and a very shallow angle.
The customer has a glass bowl sink that sets on the surface of the granite. The sink has a very small footprint on the tile, with probably 4 inches of contact area. How long before the customer can screw down the sink and the faucet connections. Between the granite, the Ditra and the narrow grout line, I know this is gonna take a while to dry. How long before the thin set sets up enough for some abuse?

 

[Ernesto]

Oh is this why you called me High? Sorry I was traveling in NM. I always just use backer board for tile on counter tops, easy smeasy. One thing I would not like is for my tile to bust loose using an uncoupling membrane on a counter top.