Ditra or TEC Skill Set

Lowes carries an underlayment called TEC Skill Set, Home Depot has the Ditra line. The Lowes material is slightly cheaper. Is there a difference in the materials?
Great forum! Thanks for your advice.

Scott

First I have heard of it! I tried to find specs but came up empty. Lowe's offers nothing and even the manufacturer must not be very proud of the stuff cause it is very difficult to find on their website. In fact, I never did find it on the H. B. Fuller/TEC website.

I would stay with DITRA, it's a proven easy to find product.

Thanks, that's all I needed to hear, Ditra it is. If I understood the Schluter web site correctly use latex un-modified thinset between plywood subfloor and ditra, modified thinset between ditra and ceramic tile. Sound correct?

NO! You got it backwards.

Schluter recommends unmodified thin set to set all types of tiles to Ditra. And, what ever is appropriate to bond Ditra to the subfloor. When the substrate is plywood you have to use modified thin set. Modifieds are sometimes also called "latex" "Latex fortified" "Polymer modified" and other similar things.

Jaz

As they say, you guys are good! I did get it backards.

Thanks for the help. Nothing to do now but get started.

Scott

Tec skillset is Blanke Unimat made in brown plastic instead of blue.

Scott, buy your Ditra at Depot, but go to Lowes to get Megabond to set your tile on it. Custom Blend at HD is the only unmodified they sell and though it meets the spec's for Ditra, it's the only unmod that'll wash off your tools with tap water days later. Megabond at Lowes is a very good, creamy and sticky unmodified from Laticrete that's nice to work with, sets up nice and strong and has good pot life.

While you are at it, Custom makes a very small number of their grouts in a compimentary matching caulk. Laticrete makes most of their color pallet in both a regular and a silicone matching variety. What you can't find in store you can get at [www.tilestoreonline.com]. If you do stick with grout from HD, you can order color matched caulks from [www.installersstore.com] but not in silicones, just acrylics.

Brian

Thanks Brian. More good info. Too bad you can't just get everything at one place.

Scott