[Dpflooring]

Does anyone know what dry pack is?. and the cost? and would it be useful for leveling about 1 inch inside hardwood built up with 3/4" ply making it 1 1/2". I have been using durock 2 sheets 1 in thin set and the top one screwed to 1st then leveling out with ceramic on top.

 

[Glasshousebltr]

DryPack is a system of tile underlayment useing a dry morter bed of about an inch. I've seen it done in the early 80s but I've never done it myself or even like the idea. From what I understand the method was on the way out in the early 70s.

Bob

 

[R&D Tile]

Mud floors are very much still around and still the best underlayment for stone and tile.

It should be 1 1/4" thick, set over tar paper and wire lath, mixed 4 parts mason sand to 1 part portland cement, mixed till it just holds together in a ball, on the dry side.

DP, exactly what do you have for a subfloor and what is it you need to do?

You shouldn't be using cementboard doubled to build up a floor or going over any hardwood for starters.

Richie.

 

[Mike Finley]

Sounds like what you call dry pack is what I call deck mud.

 

[Glasshousebltr]

Whats the trick there R&D? Does it Draw moisture from the sand to activate bonding or what?

Bob

 

[Dpflooring]

Mud floors are very much still around and still the best underlayment for stone and tile.

It should be 1 1/4" thick, set over tar paper and wire lath, mixed 4 parts mason sand to 1 part portland cement, mixed till it just holds together in a ball, on the dry side.

DP, exactly what do you have for a subfloor and what is it you need to do?

You shouldn't be using cementboard doubled to build up a floor or going over any hardwood for starters.

Richie.

I guess I didn't explain myself. I am putting the ceramic over concrete and it is surrounded by the hardwood. the hardwood is over plywood over same concrete making it an inch and a half. Someone mentioned dry pack for build up and I didn't really know what that was. In order to match I would need to go no more than 1 1/8 " .In my scope of work the Contractor recomended the rock board doubled. However I did notice it has a hollow sound, sounding like the tile is loose even when it isn't and I wanted a better, more solid build up. thanks

 

[R&D Tile]

DP, do you need to build up the floor 1 1/8" before you tile or is this all the room you have to get level with surrounding floors?

Do not use Backerboards over concrete, your floor will fail, CBUs are used over sheet plywood on floors or for walls only.

There are few ways to do what you need, but need to know how much room there is to play with, I wouldn't use deck mud under 1 1/4" if possible, there are also 3 ways to prep the concrete before it's applied over it.

SLC is another option, if you don't have the height for deck mud.

Also, any cracks, paint or sealers on that slab?





Bob, you mix the sand and cement together first, then add water till it's the correct mix, just till it holds together in a ball without alot of moisture squeezing out, it then get's placed and packed down real well, that's what gives it it's strength.

 

[Mike Finley]

R&D, do you apply a thinned coating of thinset on the concrete before you apply deck mud?

 

[R&D Tile]

Yes, you can mix modified thinset to a paste and brush it on and place the mud over it while it's still wet, you can also use Portland cement and water mixed to a paste and do the same, just don't let it dry before placing the mud, you can also use Weldcrete for this, follow the directions on the can.

You can also just place tar paper and wire lath on the floor and mud over that 1 1/4" thick, this will give you a floating floor over the old slab.

SLC can be used also to raise the floor, but depending on how thick, might need to do it in more than one pour, expensive also.

 

[Dpflooring]

re drypack

DP, do you need to build up the floor 1 1/8" before you tile or is this all the room you have to get level with surrounding floors?

Do not use Backerboards over concrete, your floor will fail, CBUs are used over sheet plywood on floors or for walls only.

There are few ways to do what you need, but need to know how much room there is to play with, I wouldn't use deck mud under 1 1/4" if possible, there are also 3 ways to prep the concrete before it's applied over it.

SLC is another option, if you don't have the height for deck mud.

Also, any cracks, paint or sealers on that slab?

Yes I need to build 1 1/8" before I tile in order to match with hardwood over 3/4" plywood hardwood is also 3/4"

Thanks on the cbu advise I hadn't planned on using it anymore anyway it was a bad recomendation from the contractor.

I knew about the mud bed but I didn't know that it was called dry pack. Do you still use the tar paper on concrete? or just prep? I don't know about cracks paint or sealers until I get to the certain jobs, but I know how to clean and prep them. Since I will be doing both the hardwood and the ceramic I can shim the hardwood up enough to get the 1 1/4" and I think problem solved :Thumbs: Thanks alot David



Bob, you mix the sand and cement together first, then add water till it's the correct mix, just till it holds together in a ball without alot of moisture squeezing out, it then get's placed and packed down real well, that's what gives it it's strength.

I think I responded in wrong area and hope this works scroll up in between
last smiley face and Bob is my response Thanks Again David

 

[HandyRandy42]

"SLC is another option, if you don't have the height for deck mud."

Could someone explain what "SLC" is please. From reading this post I've determined that one of the issues I am having. is the fact that I have too little thickness for deck mud (it all "popped up and sounded hollow. 1-11/2"hight). I've seen the abbreviation elsewhere but I have no idea what it means.Thank you.

 

[tileguy77]

Does anyone know what dry pack is?. and the cost? and would it be useful for leveling about 1 inch inside hardwood built up with 3/4" ply making it 1 1/2". I have been using durock 2 sheets 1 in thin set and the top one screwed to 1st then leveling out with ceramic on top.

Floating a floor with dry pack is an art but not extremely difficult if you take your time. It's my preferred prep method because I can control all elevations and slopes not to mention it makes installations much easier. Going over concrete I would bond it to the substrate using modified thinset. I'd go this route over the paper and wire floating floor method because I think it'll be less likely to crack being thinner than I'd like. I recommend thinset over a Portland cement slurry because thinset has more working time and the cement slurry will dry much faster. You can notch the thinset with a v-notch if it makes it easier just make sure to key it in. Substrate prep is key my friend, make sure that concrete is clean and address any cracks before you start.


Just realized how old this post was. Oops.
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