Moisture Barrier For Concrete Basement Floors

How to install vapor barrier on.

Moisture barrier for concrete basement floors.

A concrete floor with a too high moisture content can wreak havoc on a vinyl floor. The majority of commercial and industrial buildings are constructed with a concrete substrate laid over prepared soil called slab on grade. Floor covering manufacturers whether producers of tile wood carpet or high performance floor coatings publish the maximum allowable moisture content of the concrete over which their flooring products can be installed based on results of various astm. It helps reduce mold and condensation in buildings.

Vapor barriers are used because while fresh concrete is poured wet it s not supposed to stay that way. Also install a good bath fan and use it when showering. See what goes into waterproofing a basement too. It needs to dry and then stay dry to avoid flooring problems.

Here are some of the company s and their products. Concrete and concrete block are common but porous foundation materials. For a dry mold free finished basement floor always install a vapor barrier before laying a wood subfloor or carpet pad. All of this assumes that you have a dry basement with good site drainage working foundation drains and foundation waterproofing on the exterior.

If you ve ever had a problem with a basement floor or any concrete floor you. I would also recommend an airtight air vapor barrier on the bathroom ceiling to keep any moisture out of the floor system above. Ft 24 hours in 82 days with a vapor barrier compared to 144 days when exposed to vapor from below. Aci 302 2r 06 guide for concrete floors that receive moisture sensitive flooring materials estimates that concrete with a w c of 0 5 will dry to an mver of 3 pounds 1000 sq.

A moisture barrier may or may not be needed to insure good adhesion of your vinyl floor so do your homework to avoid problems later on down the road. Since concrete is porous water vapors transmits from the ground through the concrete slab into your basement. A concrete vapor barrier is any material that prevents moisture from entering a concrete slab. Once the water vapors gather underneath your flooring it will start to pool up and soak into your hardwood flooring.

Here s an overview of the vapor barrier along with its benefits and drawbacks including important facts that you should know about it as it pertains to basements. 15 mil vapor barrier by americover. Any kind of persistent moisture will allow mold to get a foothold and soon ruin carpet or wood flooring. Americover has a high performance 15 mil vapor barrier for installation under concrete floors and slabs that will retard moisture migration and radon from escaping through the surface of the concrete floor.

If the problem isn t severe painting concrete in the basement with a moisture barrier paint can solve the problem. A concrete floor seems like the perfect base for a vinyl floor installation.