Ditra

ToolSeeker · 10-13-2012, 01:23 PM

I went to look at a "manufactured home"(trailer) someone put a really poor tile job in kitchen and bath. By poor I mean about 30% of the tile are cracked and they even left their spacers in when they grouted. My question is will ditra help with the cracking. Have not looked at sub floor yet but imagine it's probably particle board.

shazapple · 10-13-2012, 01:30 PM

Ditra will help as long as the joist span and subfloor are proper (there are a couple different options listed in the Ditra install manual). It can't work miracles though...

JazMan · 10-13-2012, 02:17 PM

Manufactured homes are rarely built with tile floors in mind. The particle board needs to be removed which may cause other problems. I then foresee other sub-standard situations like 24" o.c. joists and height limitations.

Ditra is a great product but your house may be beyond its limitations. It won't help with the deflection you probably have.

Jaz

funfool · 10-13-2012, 03:34 PM

I am currently living in a older mobile home and rehabing it.
As posted by jazman, they cut every corner they can. Mine actually has 2x4 joist sitting on metal frame supports every 8' and 5/8" plywood on top.
Then some use the particle board and 2x6 joist.

Mine was gutted out and they added 3/4" cdx over the top to stiffen it up. I am still skeered to do tile.

Point is, they make these floors so cheap, tile job you describe, I bet they did not add hardibacker.
Obvious the tile needs to come up, If you can figure out what framing it has, stiffen up as needed, who knows, maybe hardibacker will be enough. Maybe you can add some support between the joist and stiffen it up. Then you have to deal with insulation on floor joist to get working room.
This can be done, will take creativity to tile a mobile home floor that will last.