Before tile goes down, the slab needs to be flat, stable, and moisture-managed. NXT self-leveling underlayment brings the slab to tolerance. Drytek handles moisture from below. Strata Mat crack-isolation prevents substrate movement from showing through the tile. Pittsburgh Concrete installs the matched Laticrete product your tile trade specifies, keeping the whole-system warranty intact.
A tile project lives or dies on the substrate. If the slab is out of tolerance, moisture is wicking up, or cracks are moving, the tile will fail no matter how good the thinset is. Laticrete underlayments solve these three problems before the tile installer ever arrives.
NXT SLU is a self-leveling compound that brings the slab to the flatness the tile trade requires. Drytek is a moisture-management system that stops water vapor from below from delaminating the tile later. Strata Mat is a crack-isolation membrane that lets the slab move without telegraphing cracks into the finished tile. Each product addresses a real substrate condition.
When the tile installer is using Laticrete thinset and Laticrete grout, the underlayment should also be Laticrete. This keeps the whole-system warranty path intact. See Laticrete waterproofing for wet-zone protection. Compare Mapei SLU and Ardex SLU if other brands are specified.
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Installation sequence
How Laticrete Underlayment Gets Installed
Assess substrate and tile spec
We measure flatness, test for moisture, look for cracks, and confirm which Laticrete product the tile installer needs. This determines whether NXT SLU, Drytek, or Strata Mat is the right choice.
Prepare the slab surface
The slab is ground, cleaned, and primed per Laticrete spec. Any contaminants, loose material, or moisture issues are addressed before the underlayment goes down.
Mix and pour or apply
NXT SLU is mixed to the right consistency and poured to the target depth. Strata Mat is laid and bonded. Drytek moisture system is applied per the substrate condition and Laticrete engineering.
Cure and hand off
The underlayment cures per Laticrete spec, typically one to two days. Once cured, the substrate is handed to the tile installer with documentation so the warranty path stays intact.
System warranty
Keeping the Laticrete Warranty Path Whole
Mixing brands at the underlayment layer breaks the Laticrete system warranty, even if the tile install above is all Laticrete. The warranty covers the whole assembly from substrate through grout. We install Laticrete underlayments because that is what keeps the path intact for the tile installer's warranty on top.
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 Pittsburgh 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, Pittsburgh
★★★★★
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, Aliquippa
★★★★★
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, Monroeville
★★★★★
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, Mckeesport
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