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I am planning to convert my basement to additional living space. My problem is that the basement was poured without a vapor barrier, and if I do the “plastic sheet” test, there is a definite dark and damp spot on the floor after 48 hours.
Since my teenager wants to use the basement for his rock band (I know, psychiatric help is not found here!),
I would like to put carpet down to deaden the sound a bit.
My carpet salesman told me I could put olefin carpet down over an olefin fiber pad, but me instinct says I will have mildew problems.
I am open to suggestions on how to seal the floor against moisture rising up through it. I would like to avoid if possible anything that raises the floor too much. Headroom is already tight.
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks, Steve
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I ran across a product about a year ago that sounds like it would be perfect. Wish I could remember the name of it.
It was a hard plastic sheet that looked like bubble wrap. It was shot into the concrete floor, and then a layer of plywood went over it. Raised the level about 1", but gave an impermeable barrier and improved the feel of the floor considerably. I remember that the company was from Canada and had a web site, so it would be worthwhile doing a search for it. Good luck.
SHG
*www.deltams.com
*The Delta-FL product referenced above has been discussed here efore -- search archives -- and Adrian Wilson installed some with great satisfaction. it is a dimpled plastic sheet that provides for some air circulation underneath. You can put a subfloor or floating floor directly over it. Do not do not do not put a carpet down on a wet floor, it will inevitably grow things and try to kill you. I had to wear a respirator to throw out a carpet left in our basement by former tenants without barfing. I don't think I would put carpet in a basement at all; instead, focus on soundproofing the ceiling above. Lots of discussion of this too in the archives.
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Steve:
I'll tell you what worked for me with my damp basement. There are probably other methods that work just as well.
After installing drain tile around the exterior, as a precaution, I glued ½" Styrofoam over the entire floor. On top of that 7/16" wafer board was glued along with shooting in a few concrete nails. Carpet & pad covers the wafer & after five years, the basement is just as fresh as the rest of the house.
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I am planning to convert my basement to additional living space. My problem is that the basement was poured without a vapor barrier, and if I do the "plastic sheet" test, there is a definite dark and damp spot on the floor after 48 hours.
Since my teenager wants to use the basement for his rock band (I know, psychiatric help is not found here!),
I would like to put carpet down to deaden the sound a bit.
My carpet salesman told me I could put olefin carpet down over an olefin fiber pad, but me instinct says I will have mildew problems.
I am open to suggestions on how to seal the floor against moisture rising up through it. I would like to avoid if possible anything that raises the floor too much. Headroom is already tight.
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks, Steve
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Yup, the Delta-FL is good stuff. Vapour barrier plus the dimples allow for insulating air, raising the comfort level of the floor. The website has all the technical info; if you go with a floating floor, you don't even have to fasten it to the floor, just unroll, overlap a couple of dimples, and you are good to go. Voted best new remodelling product of last year, I think.