Tiling outdoor patio

So I'm going to set some tile on my cousin's outdoor patio. I've set much tile in my day, but this will be my first excursion outdoors. I understand the surface prep, but I've got one problem. What do I do with the expansion joint? Do I go right over it? This isn't just an imprinted seam, it's got expansion joint material in it. Any suggestions?

One of two things (maybe both) put a latex membrane down along the length of the expansion joint at least a foot on either side. I use Redgard (elastomeric waterproofing and anti-fracture membrane) personally but there are other brands, also use a TOP of the line polymer fortified mortar for that area. (like Flexbond or megaflex for the rest of it just use a regular fortified mortar). I do both, and I've never had a call back.

I had one install where I laid continuously from a concrete slab across a gap to the freshly installed sunroom (plywood sub w/ hardibacker & a suntouch radiant system... what a PITA) did it w/ redgard and and Flexbond (both by custom building products)... I would have used megaflex, but they hadn't come out w/ it yet. Worked awesome.

Thanks for the reply. I completed the job two months ago, and so far, so good. I used Flexbond, and ended up getting lucky enough that I could plot the tile so that the grout lines fell on both of the expansion joints.(I had one running both vertical and horizontal across the surface) I filled the expansion joints with a product called Mor-Flexx, which I have used with great success in other scenarios. Hopefully all will be well once winter sets in. Thanks again.

good deal. you should be fine, as long as there's not *too much* surface movement. I do tend to err on the side of caution...

Navar wrote:

good deal. you should be fine, as long as there's not *too much* surface movement. I do tend to err on the side of caution...

Agreed. But I chose the grout line as a possible fracture joint, as opposed to the actual tile. A lot easier to repair...

Yeah, with that install I'd do the same, and if you were using some 'normal' grout color (like gray), you could probably find an elastomeric grout to go along that line, then it would just stretch instead of cracking... the downside is the color might not match...especially outside after a couple of years...