Schluter advice for garage tile

[mromgcorey]

I’m planning to tile my garage (about 700 sq ft) with porcelain, 9.39 mm (3/8") thick, and want to make sure I get this right since cars will be driving and parking on it from time to time.

1. Thinset – I'm thinking I will go with Laticrete 254 Platinum or Mapei ultraflex LFT.
2. Schluter/edges – This is my main concern as I'm not sure how to figure what size I will need. I’ll have a step-up at the back of the garage and also the entry threshold which you can see in the photos. What size Schluter profiles should I use for those areas? Tile is 9.39 mm thick.
3. Coverage – I’m using a 1/2" trowel. How many 50-lb bags would I realistically need for 700 sq ft?
4. Other tips – Anything specific I should know about expansion joints, grout choice, or prep work so it lasts under cars?
5. Grout - Mapei ultracolor plus

The tile is a pei 4 rated 12x24 porcelain tile with a DCOF greater than 0.42. I have two long cracks that you can see that I'm thinking about covering with some redgard.

Other than that, I wanted to know how I should tile around the bottom corners of the garage and just how to figure out what schluter and size to go with for the step up and entry threshold.

Would really appreciate any advice from those who’ve done this before.

 

[rlitman]

I have two long cracks that you can see that I'm thinking about covering with some redgard.

How old is the garage? I don't see any signs of movement, so that's a good thing. Redgard still wouldn't hurt.

 

[Gozo]

Not sure if RedGard is going to make much of a difference at the crack areas.
Posing this question on the Johnbridge tile forum would likely bring out dozens of responses from pros that have done this oodles of times.
Speaking from experience here: with tile, you want to do it just one time. The redo is 10x more work.

 

[flippin]

I installed porcelain tile in my garage and couldn't be happier. Welding, jack stands, harsh solvents and even dropping a 3-ton HW jack from my work bench haven't been an issue. Here is my 2 cents;

(1) Ground down the high spots around any cracks or ridges if any.
(2) I used a self leveling mortar as a base prep.
(3) Installed Ditra which is expensive but virtually guarantees a bombproof lifetime floor.
(4) I would investigate adding the heating wire which is compatible with Ditra. Something which I regret not doing. A heated floor is the nicest thing in the world. Cost of course is the only downside.
(5) I would only ever use a stainless steel transition profile. Most of the tile edges are anodized aluminum which in my case would start to pit and blemish with road salt etc. This would be non-negotiable for me given the minor cost difference.
(6) This may be the most important recommendation, 12x24 might be way too big for a garage floor. Though more eye appealing, and less work to install, when your garage floor moves they may crack. 12x12 or smaller is going to resist cracking.

Well worth the effort and time.

 

[rlitman]

...(4) I would investigate adding the heating wire which is compatible with Ditra. Something which I regret not doing. A heated floor is the nicest thing in the world. Cost of course is the only downside...

I did this in a small bathroom, where the isolation mat is on top of a wood based subfloor. It pays off nicely when you're barefoot, but how often do you plan to be barefoot in a garage?

Unless that slab is insulated, I wouldn't consider an electric heating cable. Heating the slab and the ground underneath it is difficult enough with hydronic loops, but with electric, unless your name is C Montgomery Burns and you have a nuclear power plant in your back 40, it's just not worth it.

 

[mromgcorey]

The house is less than 6 months old.

I live in texas so the heated floor won't be necessary.

I'll make sure I get stainless steel for the edges.

For the garage entry, how do I decide what size schluter to use?

 

[mike93lx]

The house is less than 6 months old.

I live in texas so the heated floor won't be necessary.

I'll make sure I get stainless steel for the edges.

For the garage entry, how do I decide what size schluter to use?

You need to decide on which ditra you are using, add mortar thickness below and above, then the tile.

Have you read the schluter install instructions? They're fantastic and I bet they have a Calc for transitions

 

[rlitman]

...For the garage entry, how do I decide what size schluter to use?

If you're not doing electric heat, then go with the original. The Ditra-Heat is a bit thicker, and the Ditra-XL is made for brittle materials over overly flexible floors. You're on a slab, so the original gives the most support.

 

[mromgcorey]

Is the ditra necessary? I'm working with a new slab that is close to perfect condition.

At the garage entry, there’s about a 1.5-inch height difference going into the garage. I found this trim:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Schluter-Reno-V-Satin-Anodized-Aluminum-1-2-in-x-8-ft-2-1-2-in-Metal-Reducer-Tile-Edging-Trim-AEVT125B30/202602232?MERCH=REC-_-pipsem-_-202602446-_-2-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a

My question: Will this ½" Reno-V work for the entry transition in a garage where cars will be driving over it, or should I go with a taller size / different style of trim? I don't understand how the measurements work with this and what I would need for a 1" transition.

Thanks

 

[mike93lx]

No, ditra is not necessary

 

[duneslider]

Ditra isn't necessary but sort of advisable. It really does make for a bombproof install but you can probably get away with not doing it, especially in your area where isn't isn't really a freeze/thaw location.

I would absolutely use something like redguard or hydroban on the cracks. They just look like shrinkage cracks to me, which is good.

The lip into the garage is a tough one, you have to decide what sort of asthetic you are wanting. If you are wanting a showroom type deal you would want to tile down that lip and maybe use a Reno-U on the edge. I personally wouldn't tile down the small lip and I would just use a Reno-Ramp at the top positioned just back of the round edge of the concrete. Then if I wanted it to look a little fancier I would get some epoxy to color the the concrete up to where the door closed to make it look a little more finished.

The step at the back of the garage I would forsure tile up and over it and use the Reno-U or maybe Rondec on the edge to soften it a little. You could always use the standard Jolly or schiene profiles, I use these most of the time but in areas stuff gets drug up or down it a lot they can get beat up which is sort of the point of them. I think the stainless or aluminum will be fine but the colored aluminum is more susceptible to showing the damage. Again, its just a garage so does it matter?

Laticrete Platinum is siginificantly better than Mapei LFT. But maybe over kill too...like for real if you get it on your hands and it dries it wont come off, it has to wear off, or I guess you could sand it off... It is amazing stuff. Laticrete Gold is one of my favorite thinsets. Laticrete LHT is their version of mapaei's LFT. LFT is good as well. Use what you can get easy.

Laticrete has a good app that has a coverage calculator for thinset and grout. It will basically be the same for all thinsets and grouts. 50lbs of one brand is pretty much 50lbs of another... I don't know that you need to use a 1/2" trowel, I rarely use one. A 1/4 x 3/8 usually works, I actually grind every other notch on my 1/4x3/8 to make it a 1/4x3/8 and 1/4x1/2. I find this works well with bigger tiles and actually allows the ridges to collapse better and create better coverage. A grinder with a 1/4" disc on it makes it super easy to make this trowel. I would backbutter each tile and then trowel the floor with the modified trowel and I bet you are good to go. (I usually figure about 50sqft per bag of thinset when going over concrete) If thinset is easy to get just buy a bag or two less than you think you will need and then grab more once you kind of have a feel for the coverage you are getting.

Again, I really like laticrete Permacolor grout the best, my personal favorite. The ultracolor plus is fine and I have some in my own house cause the design committee liked a color in that line the best. Ultracolor was designed to try and compete with Permacolor. Again, get whichever is easier to get, or has the best color match for your needs.

Happy to answer any questions. I am a member on the johnbridge forum as well and have been for like 20 years. (Geez that makes me sound old, but I don't spend a ton of time over there anymore.)

 

[mromgcorey]

If I use the Ditra, do I still need to put down redguard on the cracks?

 

[duneslider]

If I use the Ditra, do I still need to put down redguard on the cracks?

Nope, if you use Ditra the redgard would be a waste of money.