In various places around the house we installed a gypcrete leveling course (1/2″ – 5/8″) and then a glued down engineered wood. If this was my project and I had done it multiple times without success, I would do a small test area first. (we’ve had copious amounts of rain over the last two weeks) They promise that once we get grass down on the ground and the ground is graded we should have no issues with moisture. the floor is not flat or smooth and it has channels in it. A concrete mix of 1 part cement : 2 parts sand : 4 parts coarse aggregate should be used for a concrete slab. Vapor barriers have varying degrees of permeability, expressed in perms. The first thing you need to do is identify if you have a moisture issue and quantify how bad it is. If yes, then what were the moisture testing results? We’re finally ready to deal with it though. Condensed water pools wherever the plastic touches the slab, but the concrete under the air pockets remains dry. And is natural hardwood not an option? I’m hoping you can guide me in the right direction because i’m in the middle of a basement flooring nightmare…our house was built in 1977 and we have a walkout basement. Would that be sufficient or do I still need to be concerned and look into membranes (Platon, Superseal) that allow airflow? Generally, you’ll want to use a low-permeance vapor barrier when you need to protect a slab that’s going to be covered by moisture-sensitive materials like adhesives and floor coverings. Any ideas? After removing the drywall section where the mold was located I found that the OSB was rotted entirely out in several sections. The foundation walls were constructed in 1990, there does not appear to be any moisture leakage through any of the sections of concrete. Usually, if you aren’t looking at putting a finish on the concrete, you have no issues with the moisture in the concrete. Then, install the forms and level the base of the driveway before installing the metal … Using an epoxy membrane to encapsulate the moisture in the concrete is one of the traditional methods of dealing with excess moisture in concrete. In a small 5 x 5 toilet room in the master bath, we took up clay tile, In order to tile the whole bathroom Including this separate toilet room with matching tile instead of re-installing carpet. Or just use the plastic sheet to do both—be the vapor barrier and the capillary break. now i am trying to figure out what can i do to have this crawl space safe and not humid I don’t have any access to any drains there so i can’t put a dehumidifier there . These usually aren’t inexpensive, but they are better that some alternatives like replacing flooring or replacing the concrete slab. I did notice that this past summer was extremely hot and humid and there was wet areas on the floor. I’m curious we purchased an older cabin that’s on a cement slab when we opened the doors after the winter we found that the floor sweats ALOT! Is the slab poured on a true vapor barrier? For example use Damp Rid for a few days? Thanks Jason! If that fails, I would track down a flooring sundry distributor in your area and ask them about concrete moisture mitigation options. The crawlspace is probably only 1.5′, so it’s kind of tough to manuever around, but it is possible. I would look to multiple, reputable flooring installers for their solutions and don’t just shop based on the least expensive price. I am pouring a concrete slab under a pavilion. (A mil is one-thousandth of an inch.) I would consult the National Wood Flooring Association at http://www.nwfa.org No matter what material you chose, make sure you consult the manufacturer to ensure you are addressing the “long runs” appropriately. thank you for your response. My installer was half way through the job laying the tile when I realized some of the tiles were hollow to the tap…i pulled up some of these tiles to see that the thinset was not adhering to the slab (brittle actually) and in other areas it seemed to adhere fine…under one area of tile we noticed that the thinset adhered but the was some beading water in some of the thinset groves. i have a workshop in an old barn with a cement floor pre 1030 vintage. I’m assuming whoever laid the concrete slab did not put a vapor barrier below it . You should research them and look at warranties. When did it become standard practice in CA to use a water/vapor barrier under a slab? I have mold issues and am looking for a house. Hi Jason, I have a problem. endobj
Based on these, I would guess the slab will require some type of product be applied to the surface to slow down the vapor that is coming through the slab. Thanks! Thanks for the question. And don’t … The boards were installed again. If I wanted to apply the shiplap directly to the slab would I need to install a paint on or plastic vapor barrier, or must I use furring strips? Thanks. We thought well we’ll put on on top and throw some laminate over it, but I worry would that trap the moisture below and create a mold issue on the concrete, or would a vapor barrier and an insulation product on top stop it from sweating so much anyhow? After about a year, they noticed small “pimple like” defects in the wood, in a few boards in the office. Well…. I am getting a new home built and the contractor put in a walk in conditioned crawlspace. Thanks for the question. Electric heating coils or hydronic plastic tubing are installed under poured concrete driveways and can effectively melt snow or ice. Good luck. on LinkedIn. In there, they should spell out “concrete moisture” maximums. Vapor barriers are used because while fresh concrete is poured wet, it’s not supposed to stay that way. Also, do you have any recommendations on if you’d suggest laying down a subfloor before installing the flooring? I have had people suggest diamond grading it and putting stamped overlay down and then I have had people say it will just come back up through that too because there no vapor barrier under my patio. I am not sure what product was used. Thanks for the question. ... which can include regular sprinkling, laying down wet curing blankets or a layer of plastic sheeting. You need to make sure that there is no organic matter under where the driveway will be located, remove any sticks, roots, grass, or other plants that are there. I would say you are right on track with the thought of mold growth. The answer depends on what type of finish you will be placing on the top of the concrete. 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