Wood-to-tile -- Sub And Prep

Mike Finley

Mike you do realize that a Schluter transition strip is a flush transition between wood and tile?

Mike Finley

Exactly. In that situation you have no choice.


Yes, that is smart, planting the seed as you put it is smart, because I'm sure you realize that most people will never call you back for little defects like this, but they will watch that caulk separation grow worse and worse year after year until eventually they will be thinking to themselves how that looks like sh!t!

Mike Costello

Mike you do realize that a Schluter transition strip is a flush transition between wood and tile?

Yep I do, but like I said, I dont do tile, Im the wood guy coming in after the fact.

adams,b

i dont know, did you?
alright i guess we are on the same pg.

Big Dave

C'mon Adams,b, why are you pickin on me?

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Mike Finley

One thing I know of that will help lessen the deterioration of a caulked joint that we are discussing is using backer rod in that joint before you caulk. Using the backer rod allows you to create the preferred 1/2 as deep as wide joint and allows for what is called a 2 point joint (contact of the caulk only on two sides of the joint - tile and hardwood in this case) vs. a 3 point joint (tile, hardwood and the bottom of the gap you are filling with caulk)

sage

Mike, I am not familiar with this at all. Very interested.

What is a backer rod? Something that you would place in the joint between the tile and hardwood?

Does it go in partially set in the thin set, or do you just drop it in the gap?

What material?

Even with something placed in the gap, wouldn't the caulk contact it anyway (gravity-filling the joint)?
I can't make sense of it, Maybe if you have a picture. The only way I can figure is that the insert is V shaped.

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Mike Finley

Backer rod is made from foam, (it looks like the round insulation that you put over copper pipes to hold the heat in, but much thinner) it comes in all sizes and thicknesses and most people know about using it for filling a too large space before caulking, but most don't realize the additional benefits of using it for joints that are going to be exposed to expansion.



The key to lessening caulk failure is creating a 2 point contact joint instead of a 3 point. The caulk in the picture is bonded to the 2 surfaces that will be moving, the backer rod is bonded to the caulk and since it isn't rigid like the other 2 surfaces when those surfaces push and pull the backer rod will give and allow the caulk to follow the 2 hard points. When you don't use a backer rod the 3rd point becomes the bottom of the joint which is a hard no giving contact.

sage

Nice, learn something new everyday!
Thanks

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Mike Costello

Awsome graphic Mike and some useful info!