Before tile goes down, the slab needs to be flat, stable, and moisture-managed. NXT self-leveling underlayment brings the concrete to tolerance. Drytek handles moisture from below. Strata Mat crack-isolation prevents substrate movement from showing through the tile. Detroit Concrete installs the matched Laticrete product your tile trade specifies, keeping the whole-system warranty intact.
A tile project's success starts below the tile. The slab must be flat enough for the tile installer's trowel, stable enough that it won't move and crack the grout, and dry enough that moisture won't delaminate the tile later. Laticrete makes three products for these three problems: NXT SLU for flatness, Drytek for moisture, Strata Mat for crack-isolation.
We assess the slab, pick the right Laticrete product, and install it to spec. If the tile installer is using Laticrete thinset and grout, the whole assembly stays under one warranty. If we mix brands at the underlayment layer, that warranty path breaks, even if the tile install is all Laticrete on top.
We measure flatness, check for moisture, look for cracks, and confirm which Laticrete product the tile installer needs. NXT for tolerance, Drytek for moisture, Strata Mat for crack-isolation.
Prepare the concrete surface
Slab is ground or cleaned to Laticrete profile, contaminants removed, moisture tested, and the appropriate Laticrete primer applied per product spec.
Mix and pour the underlayment
NXT SLU is mixed to consistency and poured to target depth, or Strata Mat is laid and bonded, or Drytek moisture barrier is installed per the slab condition and Laticrete spec.
Cure and hand off
After cure time, the substrate is ready for tile. We coordinate with the tile installer so Laticrete thinset goes down on schedule and the whole-system warranty stays intact.
Brand continuity
One Brand, One Warranty Path
Tile projects that stay within one brand system (Laticrete underlayment, Laticrete thinset, Laticrete grout) keep the warranty intact. The tile trade knows this. When a GC or tile contractor specifies Laticrete, they want Laticrete all the way through.
We deliver that continuity on the underlayment side. Explore the full Laticrete product line and see how other brands fit into your project.
Product selection, warranty, substrate matching, and cure times.
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 Detroit 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, Detroit
★★★★★
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, Warren
★★★★★
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, Ann Arbor
★★★★★
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, Sterling Heights
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