DitraSet

angus242

Anyone using it regularly? I've had a hard time finding it locally. Got my local Dal to consider stocking it. Gave me a price of $17 + tax. Still waiting on a price for the DL36 latex additive. Seems to be in the range of kerabond/lastic that I currently use. I only tried DitraSet once and liked it but I haven't had the chance to use it on a larger job. I hear lots of wonderful things about it from guys that use it on a regular basis. Does that price sound reasonable?

Bud Cline

Ditraset can be used for both the installation of the DITRA and KERDI product and for the installation of the tile product. Two different thinsets are normally recommended for these two functions however Ditraset fills both needs when the recommended additives are used.

If this is true, this tells me that Ditraset comes as an unmodified thinset. I have never used Ditraset nor have I even seen the product but if my undestanding is correct then the basic Ditraset is an unmodified thinset as it comes from the bag. This being the case then $17 is an outrageaous price for an unmodified thinset when typically a bag of unmodified sells for around seven dollars and even that is up from $5 just a short time ago.

angus242

Well I'm no chemist nor am I gonna try to spell out why DitraSet is (allegedly) so good. However, I guess you can say it's "modified" to some extent. Bostik says it's "composed of select, proprietary chemicals, carefully graded aggregates, inorganic adhesion promoters, and purified cements." Whatever voodoo they put in a bag, Schluter says it's good to use over Ditra and under Kerdi. I've heard stories of it adhering so well, guys are using Pam on their trowels just to get it cleaned off. John Bridge swears by it.
I'm just thinking between the two, I guess I'd feel better about using DitraSet over Ditra instead of Kerabond.
BTW, Kerabond retails around here for about $15 per 50lbs.

Bud Cline

Don't know. I have no first hand experience with it. Just remember Bridge is in bed with Schluter and they are a source of income for him so he's going to say whatever needs to be said to reinforce and maintain the relationship. Go ask him how much of it he has personally used in an installation that was a real installation and not just a cursory test in his garage. You won't get an answer from him of course but you can ask.

John Corley

I've been involved over on the Bridge forums for almost 5 years now and I have never seen John come close to a breach of ethics. Or being an advertising whore...

That being said, I like ditra set, haven't used a whole lot of it but when I did use it, I liked it.

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Bill_Vincent

I've already gone round and round about this over at John Bridge's site. Although I'm told there's a difference, Hydroment made a quality unmodified (Tilemate) LONG before Ditraset was even a glimmer in the R&D guys' eyes. In my way of thinking, the name was just a marketing tool and a way of telling those that buy it that yes, we have a reason (excuse) for charging you way more for the same product as Tilemate! That said, last I heard, the Ditraset was only 12.00 and change, but I guess like everything else, prices are going up.

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angus242

Fair enough.

Let me change my question then.

What unmodified are you guys using for over Ditra?

Bill_Vincent

One of two-- either Kerabond, or Laticrete 317

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