If you’re working on a tile flooring project in Palm Beach, you’re likely aware of the importance of underlayment. Along with providing stability to the flooring material, it helps increase its longevity.
When it comes to construction solutions, we’re proud to supply Laticrete® products. As we’ve previously discussed, they develop some of the most cutting-edge solutions available in the industry today.
It likely comes as no surprise then that we’re a fan of their underlayment, Laticrete NXT® Level Flow.
Does Underlayment Always Need to Be Installed Below Tile Flooring?
Sometimes, people ask us whether their project actually requires underlayment. While not applying underlayment can save money in the short-term, in the long-term it can leave flooring more susceptible to cracking and a variety of other problems. It’s especially important in Florida, given the amount of moisture we get.
It’s also important for keeping a floor level. When using large format tile, it’s extremely important to make sure the surface isn’t uneven. Uneven surfaces can lead to lippage. Along with being aesthetically unappealing, lippage can also lead to legal liability if it causes someone to trip.
The Benefits of Laticrete NXT Level Flow
When choosing an underlayment, you want something that’s cost-effective while still getting the job done well. NXT Level Flow delivers because it is:
- Strong – This underlayment has a compressive strength of 4,000 psi.
- Fast-Pouring – This underlayment pours fast, which gives contractors much more time to work with the material. In fact, you should have anywhere from 30-45 minutes.
- Fast-Acting – While you’ll be able to work with it for 30+ minutes, it only takes 48 hours before you can place finished floor goods on it. It’s even walkable within 3-4 hours! This allows you to make more progress on a project than you might if you were using a different underlayment.
- Self-Leveling – This is a self-leveling underlayment, which means that it requires much less labor to cover large surface areas than patching would.
- Versatile – Its strengths make it useful for a wide breadth of projects. Along with being suitable for residential and commercial spaces, it can also be used in hotels, hospitals, schools, and more.
What to Know During Installation
You will want to start with a bucket of water, which should contain anywhere from 3/7-4.5 quarts of water for every 50lb bag of NXT Level Flow you use. You will then add the underlayment slowly, mixing it into the water with a drill.
While mixing in, you want to make sure that you’re keeping the drill in at all times. Once all the underlayment has been added, you will need to keep mixing for an additional three minutes. At that point, it’s ready for use.
This product needs to be at least 1/8” thick, but it can be poured up to 2” thick. Laticrete offers NXT Primer and PRIME-N-BOND™, both of which you can use before application. They also offer a Gauge Rake, Spike Roller, and Smoothing Blade, which can help you ensure a smooth application.
Warranties
This product can come with three different warranties:
For a more in-depth guide discussing the product, make sure to check out Laticrete’s data sheet.
Looking for Tile Flooring in Palm Beach?
You’ve come to the right place. At D&B Tile, we work with homeowners, contractors, and more to ensure they find the perfect tile for their needs. We’ve been serving South Florida’s flooring needs for generations, so you can rest easy knowing you’re in good hands.
Do you have any questions about what we can do for you? Would you like to speak with a flooring expert? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re excited to speak with you!