Schluter Systems BEKOTEC-DRAIN Studded Screed Drain Panel, 47-1/4" x 35-7/16", 29/32" Thickness - 10 Pcs Pack (EN23FD10)

Product Features:

• Crack-Free Outdoor Covering: Studded panels reduce screed shearing tensions to support lasting crack-free ceramic tile and natural stone surfaces on patios, terraces, and balconies.
• Pressure-Free Patio Drainage: Interconnected channels direct infiltrating water toward the sloped waterproofing or drainage layer, helping protect tiles and natural stone assemblies.
• Joint-Free Screed Design: Modular stud geometry distributes shrinkage and deformation stresses across the screed, eliminating the need for control joints or extra reinforcement.
• Low-Profile Construction: Saves up to 20 mm in construction height vs. conventional screeds, reducing material use, structural weight, and installation demands on exterior flooring projects.
• Faster Project Turnaround: DITRA-DRAIN can be installed as soon as the cement screed is ready to bear weight, generally after 24 hours, supporting faster tile and natural stone installation.
• Large-Format Tile Ready: Supports ceramic and natural stone coverings without format restrictions with DITRA-DRAIN, creating a versatile exterior floor underlayment for designs.
• Durable Polystyrene Panel: High-impact structured polystyrene resists rotting and requires no special maintenance, supporting dependable long-term performance in outdoor assemblies.
• Interlocking Panel Connections: Panels join by overlapping and interlocking one row of studs, simplifying layout and creating continuous underlayment base for patios, terraces and balconies.
• Flexible Tile Installation: Supports thin-bed installation over DITRA-DRAIN or direct setting of ceramic tile and natural stone into fresh mortar, giving versatile exterior flooring options.
  

Product Description:

Schluter-BEKOTEC-DRAIN is a modular screed system, designed to form continuous screed surfaces without the need for control joints or additional reinforcement. Under the top layer are a series of drain channels that facilitate the flow of excess moisture out of the underfloor area. Soundproofing qualities are also present, allowing audio to be confined to individual floors of a building. EN23FD10 Designed specifically for outdoor areas, the system creates a functionally reliable covering assembly for patios, terraces, balconies, and other exterior tile installations using ceramic tile or natural stone. The specially structured Schluter-BEKOTEC-EN 23 FD studded screed panel can be installed over a sloped waterproofing layer or over the Schluter-TROBA-PLUS area drainage membrane, providing a dependable tile underlayment solution for exterior home improvement and professional construction projects.

Manufactured from high-impact structured polystyrene, the Schluter-BEKOTEC-EN 23 FD floor underlayment panel features approximately 65 mm diameter studs and approximately 50 mm openings engineered into its structured surface. Each panel provides a working area of 1.2 x 0.9 m, equal to 1.08 m², with a panel height of 23 mm. Installation is streamlined through an interlocking connection system in which adjoining panels are joined by overlapping one row of studs. The panel geometry establishes a minimum screed thickness of 31 mm between the studs and at least 8 mm above them, providing a precisely defined base for outdoor ceramic tile, porcelain tile, marble tile, granite tile, and natural stone flooring installations.

The modular stud pattern absorbs curing stresses created by screed shrinkage locally within the panel structure, helping prevent these stresses from transferring across the entire finished covering. The system also offers a low construction height and substantial material and weight savings compared with thicker conventional screed assemblies. A reduction of 20 mm in screed thickness across a 100 m² installation can save approximately 2.0 m³ of screed, equivalent to roughly four metric tons of material. This efficient construction method supports shorter project schedules, reduces the quantity of screed required, and is backed by a five-year warranty, making it an attractive solution for durable exterior flooring, patio renovation, tile installation, and natural stone construction projects.

For thin-bed tile installation, Schluter-BEKOTEC-DRAIN is installed over the prepared sloped waterproofing assembly with Schluter-BEKOTEC-BRS 808 KSF edging strip at adjoining walls and construction elements and Schluter-TROBA-PLUS passive capillary area drainage beneath the EN 23 FD panels. Cement screed with a maximum strength class of CT-C25-F4 is then installed at a coverage of at least 8 mm and no more than 25 mm above the studs, with an ideal coverage of approximately 8 mm to 15 mm. Once the screed is ready to bear weight, generally after approximately 24 hours, Schluter-DITRA-DRAIN bonded drainage and uncoupling mat may be installed. Ceramic tile or natural stone, including large-format tile without format restrictions, can then be installed using the thin-bed method, with required movement joints incorporated into the finished covering using suitable Schluter-DILEX profiles according to applicable industry standards.

Alternatively, ceramic or natural stone covering materials can be installed directly in a fresh mortar bed without Schluter-DITRA-DRAIN. For this method, mortar is placed over the studded panel with the required coverage, a contact layer is applied to the underside of the covering material, and each tile or stone piece is firmly aligned and set into the fresh mortar. Suitable pervious mortar may also be used when it meets the applicable installation requirements. The finished floor tile covering must still be divided into appropriate fields with movement joints according to applicable regulations, while flexible perimeter movement profiles can be incorporated at floor-to-wall transitions. The EN 23 FD panels and compatible BEKOTEC-BRS components do not rot and require no special maintenance, supporting long-term use in outdoor patio flooring, exterior tile, natural stone, closed balcony, and professional waterproofing and drainage assemblies.