Vapor Barrier Under Concrete Basement Floor

15 mil vapor barrier by americover.

Vapor barrier under concrete basement floor.

Is a vapor retarder barrier necessary for under the concrete slab of a garage or basement. Vapor barriers are used because while fresh concrete is poured wet it s not supposed to stay that way. Many moisture problems associated with interior concrete floors and slabs on grade can be minimized or eliminated by installing a vapor barrier under the concrete. A test used by flooring contractors is to tape a square of poly to the basement floor for 24 hours and see if water droplets collect under the poly.

One of the reasons those old basement floors were like that was because they had no vapor barrier beneath them leaving an easy path for water vapor from the soil to migrate into the slab assuring that the cold clammy damp feeling never went away. Here are some of the company s and their products. For concrete basement floors that give off large amounts of moisture it might be worth considering installing a 6 mil vapor barrier with an underlayment that has an attached pad. It helps reduce mold and condensation in buildings.

A concrete vapor barrier is any material that prevents moisture from entering a concrete slab. By steve ragan director research and technical services the answer to this controversial question from both angles is a qualified yes vapor barriers have been associated with certain concrete slab on grade problems including curling and cracking. 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. For a dry mold free finished basement floor always install a vapor barrier before laying a wood subfloor or carpet pad.

It needs to dry and then stay dry to avoid flooring problems. How to install vapor barrier on concrete floor under laminate flooring. If you ve ever had a problem with a basement floor or any concrete floor you. See what goes into waterproofing a basement too.

Vapor barriers under concrete floor slabs. As mentioned earlier a sub slab gravel layer and vapor barrier will help keep things dry but you may not know what s under your slab. We find ourselves having to explain that the vapor retarder wasn t required or necessary for a concrete garage floor poured at or above grade. Any kind of persistent moisture will allow mold to get a foothold and soon ruin carpet or wood flooring.

Before rolling out the underlayment be sure to sweep vacuum and remove all debris on the substructure. Always read the flooring manufacturers recommendations and instructions before installing the underlayment. The last thing you want your customers to envision when thinking of a concrete floor is a damp cold basement slab. That way you have the extra layer of protection and don t have to worry about potential leaks.