Schluter®-DITRA in Eiffel Tower | Schluter

Schluter®-Systems is a company dedicated to creating innovative solutions for the tile and interior design industry. Their collections for wet rooms offer solutions for every step of construction, from creating water-resistant divisions to LED lighting and tile protection.

This intervention at the Eiffel Tower implicated precise logistics and planning, to guarantee that the monument's regular schedules would remain unchanged throughout the process.

Since the 1980s, the Eiffel Tower has been restored and rebuilt regularly to enhance the experience of its ~20,000 daily visitors. The renovations of the first level of the Eiffel Tower proved to be both an extensive and exceptional project, with work taking place over an area of 15,000 square feet, including the Eiffel and Ferrié pavilions, three access structures to the elevators, as well as the façade of the restaurant.

As part of this unique construction project, the installation company EDM Paris was commissioned to install a natural stone floor in the Ferrié Pavilion. In addition to nearly 1,000 square feet of floor tile, approximately 300 square feet of wall tile was installed in sloped areas, as well as a staircase, and various structural pieces, including benches and counters. The sheer volume of tourists and the resulting vibrations represented a special challenge. According to Project Manager Sebastien Soller, the project team had to consider the enormous weight load: Every single element that was removed from the pavilion was brought down and weighed, and the same procedure was followed for every element that was transported up. The weight of the Eiffel Tower had to be exactly the same after the renovation as before.

At the request of the architect, the bulk of the floor area was to be covered with 40" x 40" natural stone panels with a fiberglass backing. To limit the weight, and to avoid an assembly height exceeding 3/8", the panels were installed over a steel substrate in the Ferrié Pavilion. After applying a bonding primer, the Schluter®-DITRA uncoupling membrane was installed. DITRA not only serves to neutralize different tensions between the covering and the substrate but also absorbs the building’s vibrations.

The installation occurred in sections of approximately 65 ft² at a time. Additionally, the entire covering area was subdivided into 130 ft² segments, using Schluter®-DILEX-EKSN movement joints. These profiles, which were also installed in the door transition areas, are optimally suited to absorb the continuous movement and elongation changes caused by sunlight within the covering.

Overall, this project required strict organization to stay within the tight time schedule. Ten workers were involved in the on-site installation for approximately three months, while the preparation of the construction work took half a year. The entire, complex renovation of the first level took approximately two years to complete. The bonded uncoupling assembly now guarantees the permanently damage-free appearance of the attractive floor covering, even under these extenuating circumstances.