There is miss information every where online. Mistakes in cross sections and install advice easily found online. Differences of opinions around North America depending on whats used locally and what's viewed to be the best vary depending on the posters expierence and prior training. I have been doing research. I had Bob Weins from Schulter at my house - on my deck and asked him the best install. I called Dave from Custom Building Products as well. Surprise surprise I got two different opinions. You (Antss) yourself suggested I call the tech departments - I did. These men and their companies position themselves for market share - each feels their products are the best. How do they install? Best to ask the solidiers who do it every day I think. Is it wrong to discuss new ideas? Should we all just quote specs? If you read everything blindly and follow all the rules - who pays if it goes South? I have found mistakes online and have contacted the companies directly about their over sights - I'm working with two of them as we speak on revisions for their installation guidelines and specs. What if I just followed their advice? What if their advice is wrong? Internet advice is hit and miss. I have found and studied most of the top internet posters advice online and there is among these men differences in opinions - items for debate. I do not think of myself as "The Next Mike Holmes" and do not think I'm smarter than the engineers at these respective companies. But why do they keep talking to me? Why do they send me drains for testing? Why is it that one drain company all ready started working on new drawings? I know - I started the ball rolling... I want to discuss these points online. I think people enjoy reading about their options and hearing from Contractors who actually get paid to install these products. I don't like change and need to understand the science on a new product and then test it before I own the install. Ditra has been around for half my life. I have been installing it for more than 7 years. Why are the install specs slightly different in the UK than North America? Makes me wonder... I seek and crave knowledge. I love what I do. I'm am trying to be the best! I have not build many exterior decks. I am educating myself on the finer points of exterior deck construction and have always seek'd out the best advice online. My own drawings where approved from the District of North Vancouver for my home renovation. Why is it that the framing spec'd for my decks construction would fail a deflection calculation for exterior stone? Why is that? Code is code but this code many times is not good enough by my standard, Mongo's, Bill's and Mike's... Why can't we all build better. Why do we have to build the same way all the time. I have been teasing Mongo that I can't find out any information on him - but reading his posts for over a year I know he knows his stuff. Bill and I have battled online and yet he still offers me help. This shows his character and the simple fact that he tells me that he does not care what the techs tell me and that he uses this and that and this is the best way to do it - is exactly the type of "Solider Advice" "Solid Advice" I'm seeking. I bet Bill and Mongo have seen between them hundreds of exterior decks over living space. I build fireplaces and bathrooms. i am not a spec builder or custom builder. I'm a small fish in the Bathroom Fireplace renovation game. I have never built a home, a large addition or any project over $250,000 to date. Now I'm building my "Palace" "My Castle" "My kids home". Is it wrong to want the best for them? Is it wrong to seek opinions and advice from seasoned pro's? is it my fault that someone reading this thread does not do their own home work? I take my advice my spec sheets and I go to city hall - I ask my inspectors is this OK. Sometimes they say No and sometimes they say Yes. Most times they say "yes" if it is installed as per factory spec. I'm returning my CBU and installing more plywood. I have used Ditra in 95% of my projects and am sold 100 percent on the uncoupling properties of Ditra. I read in Fine Homebuilding years back about a builder in Chiacgo who switched to Ditra and his call backs went from 15% down to 1% in regards to tile installs. I was like wow! I researched Ditra. I paid for training. I talk to Bob from Schulter 2-10 times a year and have every year. Bob is a great guy. So is Dave. These men help me but I cross check their info with you men online. I have never had a callback since I switched to Ditra and started complete waterproofing of my projects. Not one call back in over 6 years! This is my process. If you want me to write these ideas in a new section of this site please suggest one for me. If you have a disclaimer you would like me to add to every post in this "Gray" area please forward it to me to attached to my posts. If you are so confident of your abilities and your finished projects please post some of your work for us to see. I know I would respect your advice more if I could view your work shots and know for sure that you are in the trades and can offer me first hand expeirence. Perhaps you can offer me some insight into my channel drain installations. Perhaps you would like to test one of these babies for me? I will stick my neck on the line and offer up my insight - I have a thick neck and am not afraid of looking foolish online (this I have proven I think in the past time and time again). I am far from perfect but strive to be the best in the industry. I produce job after job of 5 star finished projects. My home will be my best work. I'm looking for help - I'm looking for knowledge - I'm looking forward. Things should be built better, stronger, greener. This is something we can all do. Something we can all do better.

Another decking tile which uses Ipe wood from Sth America is available at www.swiftdeck.com. These seem to be a bit thicker than the VIFAH tiles. They also have couple of styles and have some clip on accessory pieces which make a neat finish to the outside of the deck and might be useful if you want a neat finish around your raised patio. The tiles work very well if the surface is level. Here is a link that might be useful: swiftdeck

There are two products made just for this type of application. Both of them are slate or stone tiles bonded to an Aluminum or fiberglass composite skin. These products attach to your standard deck frame via the skins below the tiles, and both products are spaced slightly to allow for movement and drainage. One product is called Stone Deck, the other is Rock Deck. They are extremely durable, but they do require periodic sealing (just like concrete), and because they are natural stone, some color variation is to be expected.

i am planning to remove my old deck boards (which I plan to use in my pasture) and put down treated 3/4" plywood. I've been told i can put ceramic tile on that and grout it in, but i'm not sure so I plan to put backer board on top of the plywood and then lay the tile and seal the grout. Should I use regular thinset or construction adhesive to adhere the tile? Should I use grout with or without sand? How much grout space should I leave? This is an uncovered outside deck. Will this hold up outside?