Condensation in slab on grade building
I have a 24 x 32 building in Northern Wisconsin. The building is used on some weekends and for hunting and ATV trips. It is in a wooded area, so it has steel pole barn siding over Tyvek. It is insulated walls and ceiling but is only heated when occupied using a wood stove. When the dew point exceeds the temperature of the slab we get condensation on the floor. I believe we need a thermal break between the concrete and the air. We’ve considered laminate flooring believing the foam pad would provide insulation and allow the laminate to stay above the dew point, but sand will be tracked over the floor and would destroy it. Can we put carpet pad under OSB underlayment or is there a better system? Thanks!
Replies
It's going to be very difficult to control condensation in your situation.
If you go the OSB route I'd consider the fan-fold stuff they use behind vinyl when siding over existing siding. It's cheap, thin, probably has as much insulating ability as carpet pad or laminate foam, and is should be stiff enough to not compress too easily.