Pin Wheel

[FloorMaven]

Does HD of Lowes carry scribing felt?

I don't believe so but rosin paper works in a pinch.

 

[FloorMaven]

A little bit costly but I don't like the thought of the added expense of a Kerdi layed sub-floor.

Are you talking a waterproofing membrane for a floor?

 

[FloorMaven]

They have this long narrow patio out the bedroom door that I used to layout the template. Interestingly enough this is a custom basement home, ten ft. below ground level. Basements are fairly rare in Phoenix. To the right there are sixteen steps up to the ground level in the back yard where I set up my saw. Unfortunately, I wasn't getting clean enough cuts with my snap cutter so I had to take half a dozen at a time cuts up to the saw.

 

[FloorMaven]

Usually, I lay out the tile and place the template on top.

 

[FloorMaven]

But in this particular case I decided I would set the tile on top of the template.

 

[FloorMaven]

Here's another couple of baths I templated.

https://picasaweb.google.com/117683...teLook12X12Tile?authkey=Gv1sRgCJXRrreUpPjB5QE

 

[FloorMaven]

 

[Kman]

That looks pretty sharp. Hope you were paid handsomely for it, you deserve it.

Regarding the crack isolation, I can see your point on not pushing Ditra on customers due to the cost. However, if a crack runs across a room and has a number of tiles spanning it, the cost of Ditra may not seem so high compared to replacing a bunch of tiles, especially if it's years later and the tile is discontinued.

I've treated a few with Redgard when it's a small area. What I also like is Laticrete 125. Since you can mix as much or as little as you want, you can use it just on the tiles that span the crack. It's an expensive product, but again, not as expensive as replacing tile. And since you can use it on specific tile, you can keep the cost to a minimum. I've used it in several applications and had good luck with it. It's some messy adhesive, though.

http://www.laticrete.com/architects/products/anti-fracture_crack_supression/productid/71.aspx

As for the self-sticking membranes, or any other membranes, I think it's important that any tile that spans the crack is completely isolated. If the membrane is only 8" wide and you have a 16" tile centered on that crack, you have 4" of tile bonded directly to concrete on either side of the crack. So when the slab contracts and relaxes, it's going to be pulling on opposite sides of the tile, and likely cause it to crack.