Before tile goes down, the slab needs tolerance correction, moisture control, or crack isolation. Laticrete NXT self-leveling underlayments, Drytek moisture barriers, and Strata Mat crack-isolation membranes handle that layer. Portland Concrete installs the right Laticrete product for your substrate, coordinated with your tile trade.
A tile project lives or dies at the substrate layer. If the slab is out of tolerance, moisture is wicking up, or cracks are moving, the tile finish will fail no matter how good the thinset is. Laticrete builds three products to solve those problems: NXT SLU brings the slab to the flatness the tile installer needs, Drytek blocks moisture from below, and Strata Mat absorbs minor slab movement so cracks don't telegraph through.
We assess the actual substrate condition on site, then specify which Laticrete underlayment solves it. The whole-system warranty stays intact because the underlayment brand matches the thinset brand that follows. No mixed-brand shortcuts that void the warranty later.
We measure flatness, test for moisture, check for cracks, and confirm the tile installer's requirements. This determines whether NXT SLU, Drytek, or Strata Mat is the right choice.
Prepare the slab surface
Substrate is ground, cleaned, and primed per Laticrete spec. Contaminants are removed, moisture issues are addressed, and the surface is ready for the underlayment product.
Install the Laticrete product
NXT SLU is mixed and poured to the target depth for tolerance correction, or Strata Mat is laid and bonded for crack isolation, or Drytek moisture system is applied per substrate condition.
Cure and hand off to tile
After cure time, the substrate is ready for the tile installer to apply Laticrete thinset. The whole-system warranty path remains intact from underlayment through grout.
System integrity
Matching Laticrete Underlayments to the Tile Install
The tile installer's warranty depends on the whole assembly being one brand. If the underlayment is Mapei but the thinset is Laticrete, the warranty path breaks. We install Laticrete underlayments because that is what keeps the system intact when the tile trade is using Laticrete adhesive and grout.
NXT vs Drytek vs Strata Mat, tile-system warranty, substrate match.
NXT SLU for tolerance correction. Drytek for moisture management on suspect slab substrates. Strata Mat crack-isolation for substrates with existing cracks that might telegraph. We pick based on the actual substrate condition.
Yes, the Strata Mat product is engineered to absorb minor substrate movement so cracks in the slab below do not telegraph through to the tile finish. It is essential on certain substrates.
To keep the whole-system warranty path intact. Mixing brands at the underlayment layer breaks the Laticrete system warranty even when the tile install is whole-Laticrete on top.
No, NXT is designed as substrate for tile or other finish. For polished-as-finish projects, a different product is required.
Per Laticrete spec, typically within a day or two depending on the underlayment product and conditions. The tile installer's spec also factors in; we coordinate cure handoff.
Client reviews
What Portland Tile Trades Say About Laticrete Underlayments
Laticrete NXT under my Laticrete thinset. Same brand through whole assembly, my warranty path stayed intact. Substrate was tile-ready when handed off.
Z. K6
Tile Contractor, Portland
★★★★★
They installed Strata Mat crack-isolation on a slab with hairline movement. Two years of seasonal cycle, no telegraph through to the tile. The right tool prevented the problem.
Y. K6
GC, Vancouver
★★★★★
Drytek moisture system on a basement slab that had unmanaged moisture history. The Laticrete spec saved the tile install from delaminating later. Real engineering match.
Q. K6
Renovation Specialist, Hillsboro
★★★★★
Whole-Laticrete project from substrate through grout. The customer's tile-trade-aware contractor specifically asked for Laticrete; install matched the spec. System discipline paid off.
X. K6
Custom Builder, Gresham
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