EXPANSION JOINTS | Schluter DITRA Installation Handbook & TCNA EJ171
SCHLUTER DITRA INSTALLATION HANDBOOK MOVEMENT JOINTS | Pages 15-17 DISCUSSION Movement joints are an integral part of any tile assembly. The various components of a tile assembly (tile, mortar, substrate, etc.) have unique physical characteristics that affect their behavior. Specifically, these components will expand and contract at different rates, according to each component’s intrinsic physical properties, with changes in moisture, temperature, and loading (both dead and live loads). This differential expansion/contraction of attached components results in internal stresses. Furthermore, structures that restrain overall expansion of the tile field (walls, columns, etc.) cause stress buildup within the system. If the aforementioned movements are not accommodated through the use of movement joints in the tile field and at restraining structures, the resulting stresses can cause cracking of the grout and tile and delamination of the tile from the substrate. Thus, movement joints a...