Any flooring experts in here?

[bigbrad123]

Looking for advice on flooring. We want to re-do our entry way and remove our tile and use vinyl planks. I pryed up a couple tiles yesterday and there is the orange DITRA tile backing below the tiles. I assume the DITRA was laid down with a thinset first. What do I do? Remove the DITRA and thinset before laying the vinyl? Lay leveling thinset over the DITRA and then lay the vinyl? What is the correct way to do this?

 

[eyexer]

I don’t know that there is a correct way. If you can level the thinset over the ditra I’d do that. You will have one hell of a time getting that Ditra off the floor. I don’t think it would be worth it

 

[bigbrad123]

Yeah, one Youtube video I found showed the person ripping up the DITRA and it leaves a film or layer on the subfloor. I guess it's hard to get that "film" up off without chipping the OSB. So.....seems like either I'd need to put a leveler/thinset layer on the DITRA itself, or rip up the DITRA and put some type of thinset or underlayment under the vinyl planks. Just not sure what is "correct". May need to stop by one of the floor companies and ask the question.

 

[eyexer]

I’ve done a pile of flooring. There really isn’t a correct way when it comes to your situation. There is nothing wrong with leaving the ditra there. You would probably cause more harm than cops removing it.

 

[all4eyes]

Remove it down to the felt and level. You will end up with height issues on doors by leaving it there. If you can get the orange layer off, which is a pain in the ass I know, then either sand level or fill with a floor patch. Exterior doors need clearance as most usually have a rug of some sort.

 

[eyexer]

Remove it down to the felt and level. You will end up with height issues on doors by leaving it there. If you can get the orange layer off, which is a pain in the ass I know, then either sand level or fill with a floor patch. Exterior doors need clearance as most usually have a rug of some sort.

he's removing tile which is thicker than the vinyl plank.

 

[raider]

1) flat, level, and enough clearance under doors is perfect...
2) flat, and enough clearance is good...
3) enough clearance is ok...

pick your poison, and your experience/tolerance/ocd level will take you from there...

fwiw, if you took a a square and level into most new homes, you'd continue to rent...

 

[bigbrad123]

Called a flooring store here in Fargo. They said I could leave the DITRA and try to level, but said the way they would do it is to just remove the DITRA and then level and then put an underlayment under the vinyl planks. Will have to be careful removing it as to not rip up wood. Removing the tile and DITRA will actually provide more door clearance which is good. Right now our door rubs on our entry way carpet when open. So......I guess that's what I will be doing. FUN, FUN!!

 

[scrotcaster]

just install the planking over the DITRA and be done with it..vinal planking is easy enough to de-assemble in a small room if you have clearance issues.

 

[LBrandt]

Better to do it the right way once than the wrong way twice.

 

[scrotcaster]

Better to do it the right way once than the wrong way twice.

This is proble better advice than what i gave..lol

 

[Perch_herder]

Better to do it the right way once than the wrong way twice.

That’s what she said!

 

[bigbrad123]

Just an update. We did the project over the weekend and ended up removing all of the porcelain tile and the DITRA. After we removed the tile, we realized the subfloor was rotted by the door we were removing, so we removed the door and about a 4'x7' section of the floor as well. Replaced the floor, door, and subfloor. Laid the vinyl plank. Looks nice. Big job, but we did it the right way.